


Heartbroken Daughters of a Goddess

by HurricaneOfLove



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Akuma (Miraculous Ladybug), Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chloe can read and somewhat control minds, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Everyone's getting a bashing, F/M, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Juleka has ability to control elements, Juleka is new best friend, Let's just say they're sisters, Magic, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is Not Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette is a psychic and a medium, Regretful Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Sad Marinette Dupain-Cheng, They're all hurt, They're sisters...in a way???
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23492434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HurricaneOfLove/pseuds/HurricaneOfLove
Summary: Sweet Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Extrovert Chloé Bourgeois. And shy Juleka Couffaine.These girls are all facing the hardships of life, but in different ways. They're slowly breaking down and dying inside. They're screaming, crying and begging for release, begging to be free.Suddenly, one day in class when the signs are showing, a force pushes their heads towards each other, telling them to come together and hold each other up and as they push through their journeys. But that force grows stronger when things of supernatural or magic start happening to them.Marinette has visions and can see things others can't. Chloe has telepathy and can control minds, and Juleka can manipulate things around her. Next, they slowly become extremely beautiful, which bewilders them all.Then a woman who descends from the heavens in front of them claims that she's their mother and that they hold the same powers as she does, with their own special abilities. At first, they think they're dreaming but come to terms that they're actually sisters and the daughter of this Goddess.This is their journey.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois/Original Character(s), Juleka Couffaine & Original Male Character(s), Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 64
Kudos: 188





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> HI! This is my first work EVER on AO3 so please bear with me! I'm not some super genius in Miraculous, so if I mess up, please correct me and I will gladly correct it either in the notes or chapter! I decided to write this after spending a few minutes contemplating and shaping this whole thing up! Let me know what you think! :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The introduction of the story, it's protagonists and the troubles they face.

Three girls. All three facing the trials of this horrid life. First, we have the wonderful, amazing Marinette. She's sweet, she's kind, she's all kinds of magnificent things, but she's taken advantage of. She's being used like some maid and is shown no appreciation. She's overworked, tired and yet she's the one at fault for "not being a good friend." Her having a crush on Adrien Agreste doesn't help, especially with people pushing her to go for it, or discouraging her entirely. She just wants a break or to break free entirely.

Next, we have loud, extroverted, unapologetic, yet unhappy and lonely Chloe. She can ask for anything she wants and her doormat father will bend and break his back to get it for her, but it's not enough. She wants a friend, not like Sabrina who worships her and is basically her slave, but an actual friend who cares about her, like Marinette to Alya, or Juleka to Rose. She just wants to wear a genuine, happy smile on her face instead of her "Ha, peasants" smile she wears every day. But instead, she's forced to be this evil, spoiled brat that everyone has forced her to be, instead of herself. 

Now on to Juleka. Juleka is best described as the best and well-done piece of art in a museum anyone could set their eyes on but was never looked at. That's Juleka's life and more. She always wanted to in front of a camera and on magazine covers, but could never find the confidence to do so. She has her wonderful brother, but even though she loves him, that's not enough. She always listens to those who complain about their problems but never did herself. That's what she's been molded into. She's grown used to the girl who you can vent to. The girl who hides behind her hair. The girl who always listens. The girl who never talks. And it's slowly breaking her down on the inside. Juleka feels as if she's human too. She has feelings and problems she needs to go on about as well, but no one ever lets her. On her good days, Juleka would love to chat up someone and just talk to them about anything, but again, everyone's made it to where she can't. She just wants to break out of her shell. 

They all need someone to free them. But they don't know that they need each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually my summery, but AO3 said it didn't fit. ):


	2. Marinette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter views Marinette Dupain-Cheng: an overworked, under-appreciated girl who's just trying to survive highschool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe I started writing this at 3 AM?

The alarm's continuous beeping made the ringing in her ears even louder and the immense pain even worse. She looked through her half-lidded eyes and saw that it was 6:29 AM. 

Marinette yawned as she rubbed her eyes. 'At least I've got some time to freshen up.'

Once her vision was finally clear, she saw that she had fallen asleep while she was working on a design. It was designed for Alya and her twin sisters. They were going to a wedding next weekend, which was not enough, to be honest, and needed some custom-made dresses to show off. Marinette laughed at first, then agreed without realizing how difficult the task would be. At least she didn't recommend the bride to her. And she knew she wasn't going to get paid. All she was going to get is a big smile, big hug, and "thanks." It's what she's used, but still...thank yous aren't always the best payment. She wanted some kind of compensation for the long nights and stressful weekends her peers put her through.

Marinette shook her head, wiped the drool from her face and stood up. She stood up and stretched her limbs, letting out a little groan as she did. The girl walked over to the vanity and sighed, looking at her tired and disheveled appearance. Her eyes lost some of their brightness, but still shined at times. Her skin was pale and her hair was down to right below her shoulders. Some of it was out of place, but it was nothing a comb or brush couldn't do. 

So she did. When she finished, she was about to put her hair up in her signature pigtails with signature red ribbons, but..something in her told not to wear pigtails today. Was it her fatigue or withering care, or was it some kind of sign from the universe telling her that her hair was _supposed_ to be down today? Like many things to Marinette, it didn't matter. She placed her ribbons down and combed her hair out. While combing her hair out, she stopped for a second. She knew her hair would become a distraction to her in the first place, which was the reason she began wearing pigtails in the first place, she felt as if she could still put her hair up. 

The French-Chinese girl shrugged and put her blueish-black hair in a lazy, low hanging ponytail. She gave a small smile. It was different from her usual but still wasn't a distraction. Her bang was pulled back as well, so it showed her forehead. Marinette was sure she was going to get some comments on that. Her solution? Pull some strings of hair out from the side to make it look somewhat presentable.

Now, on to fixing up her face! Oh, joy...

Marinette gave her face one look and sighed out of disappointment. She certainly didn't want to go for it, but she was supposed to be babysitting Manon and didn't want to scare the little girl. Plus, she knew her classmates would also comment on it.

"Eh, might as well. Who knows what Chloe or someone else might say.." she muttered to herself as she worked on her eyeliner, mascara, eyelashes, and lips. Once she was done, she looked at her clock and saw that it was almost 7 o'clock. 

"Can't believe I spent half of the night working, and the other half drooling all over myself," she muttered again. It's been a habit she's taken up these past few weeks. It's hard to keep somethings in, but at the same time, it's better for some folks to not hear it. That's where the muttering came from. Though Marinette has been caught a few times, she still quietly voices her opinion.

Marinette stood up and walked to her full-length mirror and saw how wrinkled and worn out her clothes were. She grimaced at how her beloved outfit became so...un-beloved. Marinette looked around for an outfit that would either suit her mood or work until she fixed her clothes again. 

What she came up with was a Jagged Stone Hoodie that was nothing but black, save for Fang on the upper right, a pair of blue jeans, and some black and white slip in shoes she brought from an American brand. It was something that had to do with Vans.

The teenager approved of her outfit and headed downstairs. She walked down to her kitchen to grab her breakfast that she prepared overnight and headed out the door towards the school. 

\----Skip to Françoise Dupont High School----

"Good Morning, Marinette!"

Marinette's small smile once again returned when she heard the voice of the boy who captured her heart the day she met him. Still, though, her feelings for him toned down since he was becoming like everyone else; using her for their gains and not paying her back when she would ask or hint towards it. Instead, he just paid her back with "exposure and opportunities."

'Yeah, pay me that when I'm 21 or something. If I get more exposure, then I'll probably have many more requests coming in. Plus, I need money to buy the supplies to make your clothes. What am I? A social media page or something?'

Then, she also realized how naive and boyish he was. She understood that he was a late bloomer and never allowed outside, but he has the mind of a 12-year-old. She couldn't possibly date anyone like that. At least she isn't flustered or stuttering like she used to.

"You look comfortable, Mari. Did you make that hoodie yourself?" asked Adrien as he walked beside her.

Marinette shook her head, "Nah, Jagged gave this to me when he was visiting. Said he made it for me when I'm not feeling so "Rock 'n Roll.""

"It seems like he cares about you a lot." the model noted as they neared the class of the bright and kind Ms. Bustier. 

Mari loved her class, especially when she first got in there. She loved her teacher, her classmates and the fact that it wasn't too much work. She still loves Miss Bustier, but being the class representative was a weight on her shoulders that was growing heavier and heavier as time went by. Now, she's almost to the point where she's about to resign and give up her position. Include that with a bunch of needy teenagers who don't know how to buy there own clothes or show appreciation properly. 

Lost in her thoughts, she almost forgot that there was a door in front of her. Luckily, Adrien stepped in front of her and opened it for her. She walked past him, saying a quick "thanks" and sat down in her seat, in front of him. Soon, all of the other students started to fill in. They all greeted her, except for Juleka. She wasn't wearing her usual black and purple outfit, but Marinette thought that maybe she was going for a new look.

What shocked her, and the entire class was how Chloe was looking. She wasn't wearing her usual yellow-over-black-and-white top, her white jeans and studded belt were gone and replaced, and yet, what stood up was how her extremely noticeable makeup and high ponytail were completely different today. For a moment, people though Chloe had a long lost sister who took her place or something.

"Hey, girl! What's got you in a funk?"

Marinette resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the overly cheery voice beside her. She turned her head and saw her best friend, Alya Césaire. The upcoming reporter and loyal friend. Alya was a good friend at times, but it still ticked Mari off whenever she would dump all of her duties onto her, then not pay for it. What ticked her off even more is that she'd never complain or talk to her about it. She'd just smile and say "no problem" while she goes out with her boyfriend to have fun. 

"Nothing, just tired...that's all." she answered, laying her head down.

"So....how's the dress coming along? Me and the girls are totally excited to see how they come out!" Alya gushed excitedly.

Marinette sighed, "I had to finish the designs and I'll how it goes from there."

"Finish the design!? Mari, I told you about it like, last week! What's the big deal?"

"Well, maybe if you'd told me at least a month ahead of time, I'd be working on the actual dress! But, no, you give me two weeks!? I mean, what do you think I am? Some superhero or something!?" Marinette exclaimed, catching some of the others' attention, including Juleka and Chloe.

"Woah, Woah! Chill out, girl! Geez! I thought two weeks was enough time! You've completed things in a matter of days." Alya retorted back as she held her hands up in the air in defense. 

Marinette sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Because they were either accessories or something really simple, Alya! You know that the bigger clothes I make take an entire week, especially with my schedule! A dress will most likely take a month!" 

Alya stayed silent. She lifted up her lenses then looked away in shame. Marinette realized that she may have been a little harsh, but it needed to be said. 'I'll play along, I guess.' 

"Look, Alya. I'm sorry for that little outburst, but you know I've been extremely stressed out lately. You can't be putting this stuff all on like this. Just give me some time and I'll do what I can, okay? No promises."

Alya gave her best friend an apologetic smile and turned as they heard their teacher clapping.

"Now, that was a wonderful way to resolve an issue, girls! Let's get on with the lesson, shall we?"

The day hadn't even fully begun yet, and Marinette already felt the migraine and fatigued coming at her, full force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your opinions! <3
> 
> Next chapter is going to be Chloe's perspective of the morning!


	3. Chloe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, we see the beginning of the day of Chloe: A misunderstood girl who hides behind a spoiled and evil persona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a little longer. 
> 
> I wrote this one at 2 AM this time! I'm going to suffer when school opens back up! XD

Chloe Bourgeois winced at the sunlight hitting her eyes. The one day she doesn't wear her sleep mask is the day the sun decides to burn her eyes out. Great way to wake up, right? The blond sat up, stretched her arms out and let out a big yawn. She lifted the covers off and stood up, stretching again. 

Someone once told her that she should be glad to be able to wake up and whatnot, but Chloe had lost seeing the beauty in it. Back then, she was happy that she was asserting herself and showing confidence, but each and every passing day, hearing and seeing how much her classmates hated her personality, or her in general, that joy and pride slowly diminished into insecurity and self-hate. She felt as if it was her fault. She wanted to put up walls, but not to the point where she'd be called out if she showed any kindness or emotion in front of anyone at school. Or in Paris.

No. She put herself in this situation. She was going to get herself out of it. One way or another.

A knock at her door broke her out of her thoughts. She inwardly groaned and proceeded on her way to the door. The person knocked again, which irritated Chloe again. 

"Ugh! Be patient, will you!? I just woke up!" she yelled in that voice she hated so much. It was the voice that caused her all this loneliness and inward suffering.

Once she made it to the door, she saw her butler, Jean. Back then, she would call him many names that weren't his, until it got to point to where she felt guilty and just started calling him 'Jean.' She even stopped asking so much of him, even though he was hired to cater to her. She quickly realized that the people around her weren't pawns. They were people who experience feelings just like her, so why should they be treated any differently?

"Good morning, Chloe. Your father sent me your breakfast. Just as you requested." said the butler as he held a tray in one of his hands. He smiled a kind smile towards the teenager, who returned it with a quick and small smile. It's been a while since she's actually smiled, other than her smirks, but Jean was willing to help her.

"Thank you, Jean. Tell daddy that I'll be down in an hour or two." Chloe requested as she took the tray carefully from his hands. He nodded and closed the door behind him as he left. 

Chloe sighed the minute he was out of earshot. She placed the food down and went directly to her room to get ready. She may be the mayor's daughter, but that doesn't give an excuse to be late or act as she wants. She'll just have to eat a portion of it. 

When she entered her room, she went directly to her closet. On any other day, she would wear some important name brand clothes to show off or something, but today was different. If she really wanted to everyone at the school, and all of Paris, to know that she was better than she let on, why not show it? Sure, it would be extremely strange, especially for _The_ Chloe Bourgeois, but it was her way of making her first statement.

Chloe went to the back of her closet and found some less-colorful clothes. She picked up a pair of paperbag waist-high jeans. For her top, she grabbed a long-sleeved, black-white-striped shirt and tucked it into the jeans. For her shoes, she decided on Doc Martens x Lazy Oaf buckled boots. When Chloe looked at herself in the mirror, she felt like a whole new person. Still, in her eyes, there was something missing.

She looked around and saw a black, long cardigan one of her relatives made for her. She put it on and felt as if the outfit was finally complete. Except for her face. All she needed to work on was her face, then she'd be ready to go. 

Chloe took out her makeup kit and was planning on doing the usual, but stopped. She stopped for two reasons. One, the make would totally ruin the outfit, and two...she just felt as if someone was telling her that her previous look would no longer suit her. It was telling her that she shouldn't be confined to what people make her out to be. So, she simply put on some lip balm, mascara, and eyeliner.

Next, was her hair. Her usual ponytail was up, but she began to hate it. She began to hate everything about her persona. Even her own face sometimes. It was most definitely time for a change in her hairstyle. She reached back and basically ripped the band that was holding her hair up and watched as blonde curls fell down past her shoulders. She smiled at how long her hair was growing. Maybe if she grew it out some more, she could try some new hairstyles. But, for now, this one was her favorite. 

This entire look was her favorite. 

A quick glance at her phone, Chloe smiled even more.

"Ooh! I guess I do have enough time to eat breakfast!"

\----Skip to the drive to Françoise Dupont High School----

Chloe felt her heartbeat getting faster and her stomach getting more queasy as the driver neared her school. What would people say? What would they do? Would they like her new look? Would they ridicule her to the point that-

"Ms. Bourgeois? We're here. Have a good at school." the driver said, breaking her nervous train of thought. 

Chloe looked at them and nodded, grabbing her bag and opening the door. Something compelled her to say something back. 

"Um..thank you..Have a good day as well." she quietly said, but it was still loud enough for the driver to hear. After that, she quickly exited the car and took a deep and shaky breath as she stood in front of the school. 

Chloe was about to turn around, but the driver took off, leaving her there to face the school.

"Okay, Chloe. You can do this. Just because you aren't an evil person doesn't mean you aren't a confident one. Just..let them look and approach you." 

With one last deep breath, she walked over to where her locker was. On her way there, she saw some people staring in complete shock and awe and whispering amongst themselves. Old Chloe would've shown off or busted them off, but this new one was simply walking past them. Once she made it to the lockers, she let out a big sigh of relief. 'For a moment there, I thought I was going to die. Now. If only I can-'

"Chloe? Is that really you? You look gorgeous!"

Chloe slightly jumped at the voice appearing out of thin air. She turned to see who scared her and saw her redheaded friend, Sabrina. Even though she was used to compliments coming from her, she still blushed and whispered a 'thank you' to her. 

"I'll get your stuff for you! I also brought you some-"

Chloe cut her off, "Sabrina. I..you don't have to get my stuff for me. I'll be fine. Go on ahead without me. I'll catch up." 

Sabrina blinked, obviously shocked at Chloe's tone and pitch of voice and her attitude. "Are...Are you sure?"

Chloe smiled at her, "Yes, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

The glasses-wearing girl blinked one more time and then nods her head. She grabbed her bag and walked away. 

Chloe just watched as she left. She reopened her locker and stared at herself in the mirror. Instead of a spoiled, bossy, and rude brat, she saw just...Chloe. The real Chloe.

After all this time, she can finally look at herself and be proud of what she sees.

\--------SKIP TO BUSTIER WITH THE BUSTY EARS------

Chloe was one of the last people in the room, but still didn't receive any greeting, besides Sabrina, from her fellow classmates. All she got was stares. Before today, she would've been used to it, but today was different. Today it..hurt when no one said anything. At least about her appearance.

'I guess I haven't had a chance to redeem myself yet. The day just started, so why am I getting upset?' 

"I mean, what do you think I am? Some superhero or something!?"

The voice of her "rival" broke her out of her thoughts. Chloe never had any actual bad feelings towards Marinette. It all started when Marinette had caught Chloe without her walls down, in which Chloe retaliated and claimed that Marinette was out of her mind. Other than that, she actually liked Marinette and felt bad whenever she spoke bad of her, her family, her friends or just the way she said her last name.

'Wait..maybe can I start by apologizing to Marinette! But It's a long while until lunch, so I might have to do some more good in-between.' she thought to herself as she glanced over at the seemingly-extremely tired Marinette. She could see in her face and her outfit but would ask about it later.

Class was starting; so was Chloe's quest for redemption and validation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think! <3
> 
> Also, I know that Chloe doesn't really have curly hair, but I just thought she would look nice with it! 
> 
> Should I give Chloe a crush? (Besides Adrien)


	4. Juleka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, we spectate the morning through Juleka Couffiane's eyes: A girl who's stuck in the background and forced to hold it all in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I forgot to mention this, but in this fic, the girls and the other classmates are 16. And Luka is 18.

"Jule? What are you doing up so early?"

Juleka jumped and quickly turned to face her tired older brother, who was still rubbing his eye.

"Oh. Um..nothing...I was just making some coffee."

She wasn't wrong on that part. For some reason, Juleka had trouble sleeping. Usually, she could fall asleep easily, but this time was different. She didn't see anything that would scare her out of sleep, even though she loved scary things. She made sure she didn't drink any caffeine, as she usually does, but she still couldn't sleep.

"Why? You're usually up later than mom and I. Did you have a nightmare or something?" Luka asked as he came closer to his sister. He flipped the light on and saw that she was fully dressed for school. 

It was nothing too complex but it was still different from her regular outfit. She simply wore a completely white t-shirt under a black zip-up jacket that hugged her slim body. Below, she simply wore skinny jeans and some converses. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, but she still had it to where half of her face was hidden. Her makeup was usually minimal, but she didn't think that anyone would notice that she wasn't wearing any at all today.

"Why are you already dressed? The sun's just now rising. Are you okay, Juleka?"

Juleka nodded at her brother. "Yeah. I'm fine. I....I-I just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

Luka smiled at his younger sister with an 'I'm-gonna-leave-but-I-know-something's-wrong' smile. He went back into his room to get dressed for the day. Juleka sighed and rested her head in one of her heads as she waited for the coffee to finish. They were both right, nothing was wrong, but there was something that was setting her off a bit. Like there was some kind of invisible presence or silent voice inside her head. 

She shook it off. Juleka had better things to think about. It was all she could do now since no one pays much attention to her or talks to her. It was mostly the other girls in her group, except for Marinette. She began to notice that Marinette hasn't been talking as much, and has been looking more tired than usual. She hasn't said anything about it. She doesn't know if it was the right time to approach Marinette or talk to the others about it, and even if she did, they would probably brush her off and continue their previous conversation.

Maybe if she can approach Marinette by herself after class or school, she can figure out what's going on. Maybe Marinette could listen and let her talk. 

On the other hand, she could push her away. It can go like that, too.

"Maybe I should text Rose and see what she thinks. If she even answers this time." she grumbled to herself. Lately, Rose has been MIA when it comes to talking and texting on the phone. She'll talk to Juleka at any time at school, but when it comes to hanging out or just conversating on the phone, she's never available. 

"But when it comes to Alya, Alex, or Mylene, her entire schedule's clear."

A bitter feeling rushed over Juleka for a moment but decided not to dwell on it. It wasn't worth it to her. Maybe one day, Rose will end the friendship, or just outright ignore her. Or both.

"So. Is that Coffee ready? It looks like it's been done for a while." noted Luka as he came out, adjusting his jacket.

Juleka's copper eyes looked up at the coffee machine and saw that the mug had been filled all the way up. She got up and poured two cups of it. She handed her brother one of the cups as they both sat down, sipping in silence.

Luka placed his cup down, steam still coming from it, and looked up at his sister. "Juleka."

She hummed out a response to let him know she was listening. 

"I'm worried about you. Ever since Mom left us for that guy, you've become distant. We don't talk or hang like we used to. I haven't even seen or heard about Rose in a while. What's going on?" 

Juleka stayed silent. Luka placed his hand on hers and softly lifted her head up so she could look him in the eyes.

"Talk to me, Jule. I know things are different, but...You're still my sister."

The black-and-purple haired girls gave a soft smile at her loving older brother. She couldn't help it. Ever since she could remember, he's always been there for her. He stood up to bullies, played the guitar with her when no one else did, and comforted her when no one else was around. Especially after their mother left them when they didn't approve of the famous singer she was dating. For all they could care, she was somewhere in America.

"I know. And you're still my big, awesome brother. I wish I could talk to you, but I have to make my way to school." she replied as she stood up and straightened her jacket out. 

Juleka kissed him on the head and gave him a tight hug. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the house-boat their mother left behind, waving. 

\----Skip to Françoise Dupont High School----

Once Juleka finished her walk towards the school, she saw a few people outside talking and chatting before school started. She never really did talk to anyone outside the little group, so she couldn't just walk up to them. They'd either pay her no attention, or she'd seem weird. She saw Rose talking it up with Alya, Alix, and Mylene. In an instant, she'd go up to them, but that same feeling, or whatever it was, stopped her. Juleka hesitated and thought about it. 

'What's the point of going up there to talk with them when you're not even going get a word in? Just go to class. The bell's about to ring anyway.' she thought to herself as she gripped the strap of her bag as she quickly made her way to class.

Once she went inside the classroom, she saw that only Max and Nathaniel were in there before her, but neither of them greeted her, but she knew that _they_ were both busy. Max was busy working on something with Markov, and Nathaniel was nose deep in some kind of drawing. 

Juleka simply blew some hair out of her face and placed her earbuds in as she drowned the rest of the world out with music. She closed her eyes and drifted off into her own world, one where she wasn't some girl in the background or one where she had friends who wouldn't drown her out. She'd love to model and be in front of the camera, but for now, she just wanted someone to pay attention to her or simply listen to her. Anyone who wasn't Luka.

Juleka loves her brother more than anything, but it was starting to feel like she had no one but her brother, and she didn't want that. Neither of them did. He wanted his sister to have friends who cared for her, and she didn't want to always have to depend on her brother for emotional support.

As time went by, Juleka went deeper into her own world until...

"Juleka? Please take your earbuds out, dear. Class is starting." Miss Bustier said, breaking Juleka out of her thoughts. 

Luckily for her, no one looked back, which saved her some embarrassment. She reached into her bag and got her materials out. With one quick upward glance, she saw Rose happily sitting there.

That meant that Rose had been there the whole time and never spoke a word to her. None of them did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think! 😊


	5. Coming Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After class, instead of heading to Lunch, the girls come together for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if this chapter will as good or as the others, but I tried. Hope you enjoy it anyway :)

"Have a good rest of the day everyone! See you tomorrow!" Miss Bustier called out as she students were leaving the classroom and heading to lunch. Everyone except for 3 students. 

Marinette was one of the first to leave the room. Instead of walking in the same direction, everyone else was walking, she walked over to the library. Lately, it's been the best place for her to just relax and get some peace and quiet. It where she could either work on some designs, read a book, listen to music, or just get some sleep. Today, Marinette left her sketchbook at home, so she decided to just catch up on one of her romance novels. 

Chloe was next to leave out of the classroom. At first, she began to follow Alya and the others but stopped when she didn't see Marinette. She quickly turned and saw Marinette entering the library and decided to hurry after her, leaving Sabrina to do whatever she wanted. Beforehand, Chloe never really entered the library unless it was mandatory. Even then she would complain. She never knew why, though. Every time someone questioned her, she would come up with a different reason every time. 

Once she finally reached the library door, Chloe saw her hand trembling as she reached for the doorknob. Why was she nervous? Marinette was a kind and forgiving person. She's usually one to see reason or aim for a good conclusion to a situation. Still, though. Marinette hasn't been herself lately. She's been a bit more sluggish and snappy than before, even to Adrien sometimes. If she's getting fed up with Adrien, who knows how'll she'll react to Chloe approaching her.

'It's worth a shot. If not Marinette, then maybe I can start with Juleka. I need to apologize for how I treated her during school photos a couple of years ago.'

The blonde sighed once more and opened the door to the library. The clicking of her heels drew the attention of some of the other students studying or working on whatever they needed to work on. She glanced at them but kept on walking. She needed to find Marinette.

And there she was. 

If Chloe didn't glance over to her right, she would've never seen the girl with the ponytail and black hoodie. The mayor's daughter turned to face Marinette, who didn't notice her yet, and took a couple of deep breaths to ready herself.

'Here goes nothing...'

"Um...Mar-Marinette?"

No response. 

Chloe tried again. "Marinette? I would like to talk."

Still no response. Marinette was either too engrossed in her music or whatever book she was reading to even lookup. Chloe sighed and tapped the table lightly with her index finger. 

This time, she looked up and took out her earbuds. "Chloe? What are you doing here?" she asked with visible confusion written across her face. 

Chloe hesitated and looked down as she fiddled her thumbs. "I want to talk. If that's alright with you." 

Marinette almost chocked on the spot. Since did _the_ Chloe Bourgeois ask for permission? Since when was _she_ timid? The Chloe she remembers was always loud and unapologetic. This one seemed...nervous and scared?

"Uh....Yeah. Sure. Have a seat, I guess."

And Chloe did just that. From what Marinette could tell, the girl in front of her was extremely nervous. She was shaking, taking deep breaths, and looking down at either the table or her hands. 

"So...what did you want to talk about?"

"I..." she paused and bit her lip before continuing, "I wanted to apologize. Not for something I did recently or whatever. But for everything I've done to you and everyone else, but mainly to you right now."

Marinette was totally shocked but kept herself composed as she urged Chloe to keep going. 

"You were a good- no, great friend to me. Even if you weren't, you're a wonderful person to have around. I..I shouldn't have treated you the way I treated you these past years. I'm sorry Marinette."

The last part took the cake. This was the first time in a million years that Marinette had heard Chloe say her name without venom laced in her words. It was the first time she had actually called her by her first name. But that wasn't the point. The girl was trying to make things better. Still...Marinette had one question on her mind.

"Why, though? What made you do all of that?"

Chloe sighed and gripped at her cardigan, stretching across her chest a bit. "When I first started, I thought I had no choice. When my mom left, it had felt like all was lost. I loved my mom and looked up to her. You already know my dad's a complete pushover, so someone needed to be strong and push through the pain we were going through. Bourgeois is a strong and powerful name out there. I had to uphold that image of a strong female who no one gets to tell her what to do. That's where the persona came in. At first, it was working, but then I realized what damage I was causing to myself and others. It was like a power that I didn't know how to control. I wanted to stop, but I could never find a good stopping point. I couldn't let anyone find out. That day you found me crying in the bathroom..I was so scared that people would call me weak or that I would get caught...That's why I..ruined our friendship."

Once Marinette saw a blackish tear run down Chloe's cheek, she couldn't help but walk over to her side and wrap her around her arms around her. 

"Chloe..I'm...I'm proud of you.."

The blonde looked up at the baker-fashionista, "What? Really?"

Marinette nodded, "I always knew you were better than what you portrayed. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that alone, but know you won't."

All while this was going on, Juleka was watching from behind one of the shelves. She was reluctant to approach Marinette now, with the emotional reconciliation going on. She didn't want to ruin it or seem creepy and stalkerish. 

Juleka shook her head and released her tight grip one of the books and the bookshelf. She turned away from the scene, not noticing that the book in her hand was slipping off the bookshelf. Before she could register and grab it, the book had already hit the ground, catching the attention of both Marinette and Chloe.

"Is someone there?" called Marinette as she let go of Chloe and began to walk towards the bookshelf. Juleka quickly turned her head again but forgot that her long hair was tied back. Unfortunately for her, Marinette saw some black-and-purple hair swing around.

"Juleka? Is that you?"

She stayed silent and as still as she possibly could. 

"You can come out if it is you, Jul."

Juleka stayed still for a second, then turned around and slowly walked out from behind the bookshelf and smiled shyly at the two. Marinette smiled back and Chloe gave a shy smile as well.

"I'm guessing you heard everything, right?" Marinette teased.

Juleka blushed and waved her hands in defense and opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by her blue-haired friend. 

"It's alright, Juleka. You don't have to defend yourself. Why don't you come and join us?" she offered, motioning for her to follow her. 

Juleka trailed behind and followed Marinette back to the table that they were sitting at. She sat next to Chloe, who was giving off the same nervous vibe that Juleka constantly gave out. To Juleka, it looked as if she was contemplating saying something. 

So she did the talking first.

"You look nice, Chloe. I like your new look. Especially your hair." Juleka complimented. That earned smile from Chloe.

Chloe replied back with "Thanks. You too. I have to say, that ponytail is a good look for you."

Juleka softly laughed, "Thanks, but there's nothing nice about this outfit. I put this together at 4 AM."

Marinette joined in, "I put this together right after I woke up!"

All three of them laughed until someone from afar shushed them. Then it turned into soft giggles. After a while, Chloe decided she should ask the question that's been circulating around her mind for the past few days.

"Hey..um..I don't mean to pry but, what's going on between you and the other girls? It seems like..the two of you and the four of them are drifting apart."

Marinette was the first to speak. "I don't really know. It seems like everyone except for you two is asking something of me. I can't catch a break or anything. Either it's some classmate asking a favor and then not paying me, one of the celebrities is calling me up, or just my parents asking me to basically run the bakery when I've been telling them I'm going to be extremely busy. That's not the point anyway. It..just feels like Alya and the others are only using me for, well, their own gains. All they talk or ask about is when am I going to be finished. It's never about how I'm doing or if I want to hang out. It's always favors or when is this going to be done." ranted Marinette as she leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms.

Juleka was next to talk, "Mine's not as severe as Mari's but I feel pretty lonely and unwanted. Today, when Miss Bustier asked me to pay attention, I saw Rose next to me. She didn't say anything to me. I even tried to start a conversation or two with her, she'd quickly shut me up or just ignore me. Also, last week I tried texting her and Mylene, but none of them answered. It's starting to feel like I don't exist to them."

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows in anger, "It sounds like they're not good friends. I'm saying this as the new Chloe: dump them. If this has been going on for weeks and it hasn't stopped so far, why would it stop now? They're using you the same way I used to use Sabrina, and that is not a friendship at all. That's being someone's maid or slave. I'll say it again: dump them." 

The two looked at her with wide eyes. 

"Dump them? As in-"

"End the friendship? But-"

Chloe raised her eyebrow as they both fumbled over their words. "Yeah. End the friendship. Move seats."

"I don't know, Chloe. Alya and I have been friends for years." Marinette said.

"You've been friends for almost three years. These past months have been you being her slave."

Marinette stayed silent.

"I know it's a little early to say this, but trust me Marinette." she continued, "I can recognize something like this, especially in friendships. That's why I'm hoping to make things right with Sabrina."

Marinette looked up from her hand on her leg and smiled at the two. She stood up and grabbed her bag. 

"C'mon girls. Lunch is almost over."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Sorry if it's all jumbled up or not making sense! I've been up since 5pm yesterday. 
> 
> Leave your opinions or whatever you want! <3


	6. After school: Adrien and smoothies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls hangout for the first time after school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost caught up with my AMI, so I should be able to write and update a bit more. Sorry about the wait!

It was finally time to head home for the students of Françoise Dupont High School. Most were headed home, while others were headed to another location. 

Marinette checked her phone and looked at the time as she was walking away when she felt someone approach her. Somehow and someway, she knew who it was.

"Hi, Adrien." she greeted, not looking up from her phone. 

"Hey, Mari. Um..are you busy later? I was thinking I could come over and maybe work on some designs together? Maybe Nino and Alya can tag along as well!" He suggested, smiling down at her. 

Marinette looked up and didn't even bother to hide her eye roll. Of course, he's worried about his request. Nino or Alya, or both, most likely put him up for this. Hopefully, her babysitting Manon will make him turn back. 

"Sorry. I have to baby-"

Suddenly, Marinette's phone began to ring. She held up one finger and walked off with the phone up to her ear. Adrien stood there confused, yet a little sad that she was about to reject his request. He patiently rested his hand on his bag as he waited for Marinette to finish her call. While waiting, He saw a familiar blonde and a familiar black-and-purple haired girl approaching Marinette.

"Chloe? Juleka?" He called out, catching their attention. Chloe turned and walked over to him, with Juleka silently following behind her. They both greeted him, he greeted them back, then Juleka asked him a question.

"What are you doing here, Adrien? Isn't your dad going to be mad at you for not heading home right away?" 

Adrien shook his head, "Father trying to be a better father, so he's giving me a bit more liberty. I still have to be home at a certain time, but he's not as strict anymore. What about you?" he replied.

"We were about to ask Marinette if she wanted to hang out after school." Chloe answered, glancing back at their friend, who was still on the phone.

Adrien froze in shock. Since when were Marinette and Chloe close enough to hang out? From what he remembered, Chloe practically hated Marinette, and Marinette was just entirely disappointed in the girl. He never thought he'd see the day that they would _hang out_. _Together_.

"Yeah, I thought we'd try that new smoothie place that opened up last year. My brother told me about it when he came back from one of his gigs." Juleka added, glancing down at her feet.

To say Adrien was shocked was an understatement. This truly blew his mind. Chloe seemed nicer and more humble than before, and Juleka seemed just a tad bit more confident. He liked the fact that they were bettering themselves, but it would definitely take some time getting used to.

"Sorry, about tha- Oh. Hey girls! What are you doing here?" Marinette said as she came up to the three. She smiled at them and turned to Adrien, "Turns out I don't have to babysit. Nadia called and said that Manon's grandma would take her. Then Manon stole the phone from her and just chatted with me. Believe it or not...I kinda saw that coming. Anyway, did you guys want something?"

"I was hoping I..or Alya, Nino and I could come over and just hang out. Y'know maybe help out with your designs and whatnot." He suggested again, this time he rubbed his neck and smiled sheepishly. 

Chloe's face showed anger, Marinette's face showed annoyance, and Juleka's face remained calm. Adrien was doing exactly what was upsetting Marinette. Others weren't so subtle, but she could still see it. They all could. Even if he was too naive to see it, it doesn't count him out.

"Sorry, Adrien. I forgot that Marinette had already agreed to our plans earlier. We're just here to confirm it." Chloe stated. She stepped up to stare Adrien in the eye as she wrapped her arm around Marinette's. Marinette was most definitely caught off guard but quickly caught on.

"Um..Yeah! Can you remind me though? I've been busy all that I forgot.."

"We're going to the new smoothie restaurant that opened a while ago. Luka recommended it to me when he came home from work one day." Juleka answered. 

Marinette nodded, wrapped her other arm around Juleka's and smiled innocently at Adrien. "I hope you're not upset, Adrien. Maybe next time?"

Adrien, still shocked and confused, simply nodded and smiled. "No problem, Marinette. I'll just tell the other's that you're busy. Have fun!" He said as he walked off and waved. Marinette waved back and then sighed out of relief.

"Thanks, girls. I still feel kinda bad, though."

Chloe spoke up as they began to walk out of the school, "I don't. He may be kind and totally naive, but he was still using you. He has his own father who can design all of the clothes he wants. I know I wasn't there, but I couldn't help but overhear the time he asked you to make him a suit for his next photo shoot, and he didn't even wear it. He simply wore tossed it or something." 

"He wore it to an event and lied about who made it." Juleka added, refreshing the memory in all of their minds

Marinette bit her lip again. Adrien had told her that his father didn't agree with the suit being in the photoshoot, but she didn't believe him. She didn't know what hurt more, that he didn't wear it, or the fact that he lied to her face about not wearing. She never questioned him on the matter and kept her anger in, but that was one of the key points that made her begin to lose interest in the model. 

Chloe noticed how the mood had quickly changed and decided to revert it back. "Well..let's not focus on the past. Let's focus on the present and look to the future."

"And look forward to those smoothies!" Juleka added with a giggle. 

Marinette laughed as well. "Wise words, girls!"

\------Skip to Generic Smoothie Place------

As of now, the three sixteen-year-olds were laughing, chatting, and sipping on their delicious smoothies as they sat in a both in a less crowded area. Juleka was busy finishing up a story of how her older brother his first guitar when Marinette saw, in the corner of her eye, a boy their age with red hair and blue eyes was staring in the direction of them, or more like Chloe's direction. He was behind the giant counter, simply wiping away and tending to customers. 

Once Chloe laughed again, his smile grew bigger. Marinette smirked at this and tapped the table to get Chloe's attention. 

"Okay, don't look, but I think Chloe has a secret admirer. It's the guy with the red hair."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, "Me? I doubt it. I ticked some people off in my past. He's probably one of them." she denied.

Juleka glanced over as well and saw him staring at the blonde. It was at this point that the redhead should've noticed that they were looking back, but he was too fixated on Chloe. 

"You should go talk to him. If not, then at least go and pretend to order another smoothie or something! What if it actually works out?" Juleka suggested. She nudged Chloe and winked at her. 

The mayor's daughter sighed and spun the straw in her drink again. "I don't know. Even if he's actually interested, I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I've already got enough on my hands."

The girls nodded. "Well, that's okay, Chlo. We won't rush or pressure you. But..we will talk about boys with you." Marinette reassured. Juleka nodded and smiled.

Chloe smiled as well. This time for her, it was true genuine smile. She felt genuinely happy as she talked and confided in her new friends. She finally felt like she belonged. She finally felt like she could be herself and no one would judge her or think something's wrong. 

This time she truly felt an emotion she hasn't felt in real years. Real Happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should make a second part of this chapter since I just wrote them talking to Adrien and a shorter scene at the smoothie place. 
> 
> So, tell me what you think! What part is your favorite or what are your predictions of the future chapters?


	7. After school: Parks and cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls travel to the local park and then to Marinette's family's bakery, Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, and then run into a few familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what? Our power came back on!

"Where's our next stop, Juleka?" Marinette asked from behind Juleka as they walked the streets of Paris. 

Juleka's tied up hair swung over her shoulder as she looked back at her friend. Even though the two other girls were different, Juleka still thought that she would be put to the side and have to listen as everyone else talked. It's what she had gotten used to. No one really cared to ask for her input or opinion, so she was most definitely caught off shocked when Mari asked her where else to go. Then Juleka realized that she was the one who recommended the smoothie establishment in the first place.

Juleka thought for a second, then quickly came up with a place. "How about the park? We've been walking for what? The past half-hour? I'm sure we could use a break from all of this traveling and just sit down and relax." she suggested.

Marinette bounced a bit, "Oh! Then we can go to my parents' bakery and have some snacks! I..kinda told them what I was doing and then they got excited and started making little pastries so I could invite you over. It's been a while since I had anyone over, so they no longer think I have any friends." she finished off. 

"Sounds good to me. I haven't eaten anything after breakfast." Chloe said as she sipped on her to-go smoothie.

So then, the girls began chatting again as they made their way to the park. They walked past and waved at some of the children playing and smiled at the adults and elders as well. 

"Yeah, I was thinking about dying it red this time. Ya know, go for a change or something?" said Juleka as she answered a question asked by one of the girls.

Chloe looked at and played with one of her curls, then looked back up. "I might wanna dye my hair one day. Maybe dye the tips black or something." she said as she pushed it back. 

"Like a bumble-bee?" Marinette said as she giggled. Chloe rolled her eyes and lightly hit Marinette, earning another giggle from her.

The girls all sat down at a bench. Marinette was on the left, Chloe on the right. and Juleka was in the middle as they began to talk about their thoughts on the other students at their school.

"I mean, yeah, Kim's kinda hot now, but he's totally in love with Odine. What do I look like going for someone who's already taken? That's basically a homewrecker. Plus, I don't really want a relationship right now, anyway. I need to truly figure myself out before I try to figure anyone else." Chloe stated. 

Juleka nodded, "I totally feel you, Chloe. At first, I had a little crush on Rose, but now..I've lost all feelings for her." 

"It's something like that with Adrien. I'm kinda done with him. He's not as amazing as he seems. He's still cute though." Marinette said as she added about how she felt about Adrien. She still liked him for his looks and some of his personality, but 

"Marinette?"

The french-Asian looked up with wide eyes as she saw her journalist friend. Alya was joined by Nino, who was holding an ice cream cone, most likely made by Andre. She looked at Marinette and Juleka with a confused look, then at Chloe with eyes that held something similar to hate. Chloe's faced changing from smiling and having a good time, to bored and unaffected as she stared back at Alya.

"Girl, are you off your meds or something? Why are you hanging out with _her_? I can understand Juleka, but _Chloe? Really?"_ She asked as she aimed her open hand at Chloe. The blonde was almost about to comment and talk back at Alya, but decided to be the bigger person and held her tongue as she crossed her arms and glared at her. The day was not even over with and she was already having problems. 

"Chloe's changed, Alya, and for the better, too! She's not the Chloe that we're used to. She's a really cool person once you get to know her. All she really needed was a friend!" answered Marinette as she leaned over to smile at Chloe, who quickly returned it.

Nino finally decided to open his mouth. "What about Sabrina? You too are always together, right?" he said as he adjusted his bright red hat.

Chloe leaned back and looked away as she bit the inside of her cheek. "I realized how horrible I was to her. I've decided that she needs to be her own person. To make her own friends."

Alya scoffed, "More like free her from your tyranny." she mumbled under her breath, but everyone heard it. 

"Alya! Seriously!?" scolded Marinette. Before today, she would've agreed, but she saw Chloe for who she is and saw a girl who was all alone and pushed into a role she didn't want to be put in. In someway, Marinette could relate. She wanted to be known for her personality and character, not as 'the girl who would make you your own custom clothes or food.' Hence, why Marinette was upset when Alya decided to dog on Chloe. The girl was just trying to redeem herself and show her true colors, and she was getting judged already.

"What? You've agreed with me before on this! Chloe's a horrible person!"

Marinette huffed and held the bridge of her nose. "That was all a ruse, Alya. Have you ever thought that maybe our words could've been hurting her? Emphasis on _our_ , by the way, since I'm saying that I said some hurtful things as well. I know Chloe's done some things that people didn't appreciate, but that doesn't mean she's past redemption."

Alya narrowed her eyes at Marinette, "Oh, so you're on her side now? Do I have to list off the things she's done to you? You're her main target and now you're joining her or something?"

Marinette was about to argue back, but Juleka finally spoke up, "Marinette's right, Alya."

"Really? You too, Juleka?" 

"Yes, Chloe has done some bad things, but haven't we all? We've all been forgiven of things, so why can't we forgive her? She's no different from us." Juleka said as she tried to sway Alya into seeing things from their point of view, but failed, as the ombre-haired girl was too stubborn.

"Because..I-"

"You know what? We came to have a nice time after school, not to deal with this!" Marinette said as grabbed her bag and Chloe's wrist, causing the blonde to stand up. "Come on, girls. Let's head back to my place, where we won't be disturbed."

Juleka stood up and followed along as she gave the couple behind them one last look. 

\--------AT THE BAKERY/MARINETTE'S HOME----------

"Sorry for dragging you away like that, Chloe. I just couldn't stand to hear them talk about you like that." apologized Marinette as she bit her one of the pastries her parents had made for them.

Chloe was sitting on the pinkish chaise longue in Mari's room along with Juleka, while Marinette sat at her desk. 

"It's fine. I kinda expected it from them. The only people I've apologized too is Sabrina, who I think either was too glad to leave me or wasn't taking me seriously, and you two. I have a whole school and possibly city to apologize to. But..thank you for being my friend again, Mari. You too, Juleka."

"Well, no one deserves to be alone. It's one of the worst things that can happen to anyone if you truly think about it." said Juleka as she smiled at the blonde. Marinette nodded in agreement. 

"Anyway, we don't need that kind of negativity clouding up our minds! So, what do you think of Nette's room?" 

Chloe looked around and admired the room's design. The colors went together perfectly and it gave off a comfy vibe. She also stared at Marinette's designs. Chloe recognized some of the drawings and realized they were worn by local models, such as Adrien, or superstars like Clara Nightingale or Jagged Stone. 

"I like it. It's comfy and is pretty. " Chloe simply stated as she looked back at her friends. 

"What about that redhead boy we saw earlier? He seems American to me." asked Marinette as she smirked at Chloe. She knew Chloe wasn't paying attention and focusing on her room, so she decided to tease her.

"He's cute." Chloe answered

"Ha! Gotcha!" 

Chloe sat up and blinked. Once she had realized what she said, she blushed and made an angry face at Marinette, who was laughing so hard, she almost fell out of her chair. Juleka began to giggle, then began to full-on laugh at the situation. Chloe looked at both of them, and couldn't resist the urge to laugh.

Soon, all Tom and Sabine heard were the laughs of three teenage girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I finally finished this! Thanks for being so patient with me! I hope you enjoy this and the rest of the book! 
> 
> What's your favorite part/Character so far?


	8. Visions and More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange things happen to Marinette during her day.
> 
> (This chapter takes place a few days after chapter 7)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than expected! AMI sucks.

_"You're making a mistake, Marinette, and until you realize it, don't talk to us at all."_

_"What's your deal, dude?"_

_"Seriously, Marinette? You're abandoning us for Chloe!?"_

_"Not cool, Marinette."_

_"I'm sorry, Mari...."_

_"I know we've only been friends for just about a week or two, but no matter what, we'll have each other's back."_

_"We're all we've got...."_

_"Marinette?"_

"Marinette!"

Marinette shot out of bed, her skin was covered in sweat. Her hair was frazzled and her eyes were wide. She looked over and saw her annoyed mother looking up at her.

"Mom?"

"I told you not to stay up late! Hurry up and get ready, or else you'll be late!" her mother scolded. 

With more deep breathing, Marinette watched her mother exit her room in an angered hurry. She had no idea why her mother was upset at her, or why she was upset at all. In her eyes, Sabine never got angry or even frustrated. Even if Marinette overslept, Sabine would remain calm, and even cheerful.

The sixteen-year-old sighed and climbed down from her bed, stumbling a bit. Her head was still a little dazy from her dream. The voices sounded quite...familiar. They sounded just like her friends. They all sounded disappointed or angry at her, save for a voice or two. The last voices she heard were more comforting than the previous ones. 

Marinette pushed it aside focused on getting ready. After spending some time with Chloe and Juleka, she's been feeling better about her entire situation. They help out with her fashion designs and even volunteer at the bakery, so that definitely took some of the weight off of her shoulders. Plus, unlike the other girls, they're just about always available to hang out and genuinely enjoy each other's company. 

Still, though, Marinette wanted to keep her other friends. She knew that they were all starting to drift from her, but still wanted to grasp on to what was left. Even though it seems like they weren't. 

Apparently, Alya had told everyone what had happened from _her_ perspective. She told everyone that her and Juleka had defended Chloe and got angry at _her_ when she was trying to 'get them away from her.' But from Marinette's perspective, Alya was the one who approached _them_.

"All I can really do is talk to her. Maybe explain the entire situation?" she mumbled to herself as she pulled her ripped jeans up. 

Lately, Marinette's outfits have been more fashionable since she became closer to Juleka and Chloe, so she's decided to actually put some care in what she would wear. She decided on some skinny ripped jeans, an off-shoulder, pastel pink blouse that stopped above her belly-button and hugged her slender body, and some pink flats. She then preceded to put her hair up in a crown braid. 

She applied more makeup as well. It was a light pink eyeshadow, which was put on just right, with a small amount a glitter, some eyeliner, and some mascara. Then she decided to put on some glossy lipgloss. In her eyes, her entire look was like some aesthetic social media post, but she didn't care. She loved the way she looked.

"Marinette!" called her father this time, "Come grab your breakfast before you're late!"

"Coming!" she called back. 

Mari grabbed her bag and exited her room. She headed towards the family kitchen when she saw her mother on the phone, and her father packing a bag with some wrapped up food.

"That's perfectly fine, dear. Thanks so much!" Sabine said. She hung up the phone, then turned to her daughter. "Guess what dear? Chloe called and asked could she pick you up! Of course, I agreed, seeing as it would be no problem for you!"

Marinette blinked in confusion and stared at her mother. She was glad that Chloe offered to pick her up, but what confused her was her mother's insanely quick mood swing. Not too long ago, Sabine was fussing at her daughter for sleeping too long, then the next, she's smiling at her and being her usual self. 

"Your father is packing enough for the three of you, since Juleka is also tagging along, so make sure you give them their share." her mother said, breaking her train on thought. 

Marinette nodded, "Okay, I will."

She took the bag from her father and kissed both of her parents on the cheek. She ran out the door of the bakery and was greeted with a fancy car and her two friends waving at her. She smiled and hopped in the car.

Juleka was dressed more fashionable as well. She had on a black short-sleeved shirt on with a purple heart in the in middle. The shirt was just above her black and white, dual-buttoned pleated skirt, which was at a modest length. Juleka had on some spiked platforms and some fishnet stockings. To finish the look, her make up consisted of just enough black eye shadow with nude lipstick, under a coat of lipgloss, that matched her skin color perfectly, and her hair braided into one single braid.

Chloe's outfit was simple today. She still wore her curls down and only wore eyeliner, mascara, and some lipgloss. She wore a tight, spaghetti-strapped, yellow plaid dress that stopped at her lower thighs with a white turtleneck underneath. Instead of wearing some sort of fancy shoe, she simply decided on some yellow and white converses.

"Hey girls! I got us all something to eat." greeted Marinette as she pulled out two wrapped up breakfast sandwiches out of the brown bag. The other two girls happily smiled as they delightfully took them from her.

"Thanks, Mari. Sorry about popping up out of nowhere, but I..I wanted to do something nice for you guys. I also felt bad, since Juleka has to get up early to walk from her boat to school, and you always rushing to school, so I thought that I could help. 

"You didn't have to, Chloe. Just being our friend is good enough. It's...nice to have friends like you two. Friends who are actually there and want to spend time with you." Juleka said, her voice quieting at that last part.

"Same here. It's relieving for someone to care about my wellbeing and not ask me for things or constantly put weight on my shoulders," added Marinette.

Chloe smiled and hugged her friends. They hugged back as the car pulled up to the front of the school. She was happy to have friends who didn't judge her every move or only associate with her because of her status and wealth. She was happy to finally have people she could count on.

"We're here girls. Have a great day." said the driver as they smiled at the trio. 

The girls said their farewells as they exited the car, one-by-one. 

As they began to walk towards class, each of them noticed other students staring and whispering amongst each other. Chloe simply continued on, but saw that Marinette and Juleka were simply bothered by it. 

"Don't worry about them or what they say." She said, catching their attention, "That's all they do. Talk among each other."

"What if rumors are being spread?" ask Juleka as they passed by a group of 4 familiar faces. They all looked at the three, then continued on their conversation.

"About what? Even there are any rumors, debunk them, or give them the actual tea. Okay?" 

The two girls nodded as they continued their way.

As they were walking, Marinette felt a presence growing behind her. It felt extremely familiar.

"Adrien?" she called out, not even turning around. 

"Uh...Yeah..it's me..how'd you know?"

She turned around this time and shrugged. "Just a hunch I guess."

The model rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, I was wondering if I could talk to you..alone?" he asked, glancing at the other two girls watching. 

Marinette smiled and turned back to her friends, "I'll catch up to you girls in a few seconds, alright?" 

Chloe hesitated but nodded as she and Juleka sparked up another conversation and walked up the stairs.

She turned back to Adrien, "So what did you want to talk about? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and smiled nervously, "Actually..I was wondering if-"

Then suddenly, intense pain overcame Marinette's head. She gripped her head and groaned as the world around her slowly faded to black."

\---------O O F-----------

_"Marinette! Please, give me a chance to explain!"_

_"There's no need, Adrien. I was warned, but I didn't listen."_

_"It wasn't what you-"_

_"Then what was it!? Were you giving a friend of yours some kissing lessons? Because I saw you making out with a girl. Making out while WE were supposed to be on OUR date!"_

_"Mari-"_

_"Save it, Adrien."_

_"...."_

_"You know...I loved and chased after you for at least 3 years. All those gifts and clothes and everything else were ways of me showing my love and trying to win you over. I was so scared to ask you out to your face, and so nervous awestruck around you, that I stumbled and stuttered whenever you were around. So, when I got asked out by YOU, I felt as if all of my dreams had come true, and worries had faded away. I was so happy and so excited that I even asked Chloe and Juleka to make me as beautiful as I can be. I really wanted this date to go well, so I can have a higher chance of dating you. So imagine the pain I felt when I saw you kissing her. My whole world fell apart. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Then, my best friends showed me that everything else did matter. That I didn't need you."_

_"I...please, Marinette...give me another chance.."_

_"That's all I wanted, Adrien. I wanted a chance until you ruined it...Why don't you go ahead and join the others who hurt and left me?"_

_"Mari..."_

_"Stop saying my name, Agreste. I don't need you anymore."_

_"I..I love you."_

_"Find someone else to love. I'm tired of fighting for those who take me for granted."_

\--------O O F--------

"Marinette! Are you okay?"

The girl groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She felt fabric on the side of her face and strong, semi-muscular arm wrapped around her body and holding her up. She looked up and saw Adrien looking down at her with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Maybe I should just take you to the nurse. Do you think you can stand?"

By the time Adrien finished his question, Marinette was fully conscious. She stood up, unwrapping herself from his arms, and lightly touched her head. The pain was completely gone. She felt..fine.

"Believe it or not, I feel okay. What happened anyway?"

"I was about to ask you something when you suddenly gripped your head and fainted. I was really worried and scared, but I caught you in time. Are you sure that you're okay?" he asked again.

Marinette smiled at him, "Yeah..I'm fine. What was it you wanted to ask me?"

Unfortunately for Adrien, the bell to go to class had just rung as he opened his mouth.

"I guess you might have to ask me after class. See you at lunch!" She said as she ran up the stairs. 

The model sighed sorrowfully as he gathered himself together and headed towards his class.

\------ MS. **_B O O T Y - E A R S_** \-----

Marinette was confused. 

No one was in there usual seat, except for Adrien and Nino, and Kim and Max.

Nathan sat with Sabrina.

Ivan sat with Mylene.

Rose sat with Alya.

And Alix wasn't here today. 

So, that left two rows in the back where Juleka and Chloe were sitting. Juleka seemed fine where she was, since she usually sat in the back, but Chloe looked upset. 

Marinette walked back and sat in front of the two and turned to face them. "What happened to the seats?"

"Bustier decided that we should have a new seating chart, but allowed everyone to choose. We got booted to the back. If Alix shows up again, then she's sitting by you." Chloe answered, glaring at all of her fellow classmates, except for Juleka and Marinette.

"But why, though?"

"Remember how Alya had told everyone we _attacked_ her? That was one of the reasons. It's also because we 'prefer each other's company more than their company.'" Juleka quietly answered.

"She's still mad about that? Now I really have to talk to her."

Chloe silently scoffed, "I wouldn't bother. You know how stubborn Cesaire is." she then looked down and rubbed her own arm, "Maybe I shouldn't have approached you. Maybe then, you wouldn't be having these problems."

"What? Chloe, no. You approaching me was one of the best things that ever happened to me! To us! It's the others that are causing the problems! We just have to go confront them to straighten things out. That's all."

"Yeah. Look at us! Last week, we were all feeling like total crap, now we're in our own little are chatting it up." added Juleka.

The girls talked and giggled amongst each other until their teacher called for the class's attention.

\--------AFTER CLASS---------

After the bell had rung to dismiss everyone for lunch, Adrien had grabbed his bag and walked up to where the three girls were. Nino was confused, but Adrien had already told him before that he needed to talk to Marinette, so he went ahead.

"Hey, Mari." he greeted, catching all three of their attention.

Marinette smiled at him as she packed her bag, "Hi, Adrien. You said you wanted to ask me something, right?"

Adrien nodded, "Um..I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Will you out on a date with me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? Any predictions for the upcoming chapters? They might come true~


	9. Simply Hearing Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe's day gets weird the moment she hears someone's thoughts. And controls them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally I had to spend 5 minutes thinking of the title! 
> 
> Anyway, y'all had some really good Ideas! I love hearing from you guys! :)

Chloe's eyes were wide.

When did Adrien suddenly have an interest in Marinette? Wasn't he going for the single or 'just-going-with-the-flow' route?"

She saw Marinette blush while she was frozen in shock. Juleka simply held her hand over her mouth as she watched the interaction play out.

_Please say yes..Please say yes..What if she says no?_

Chloe jumped and stared at Adrien with an extremely confused look on her face. 

Did he just _talk_ without moving his _lips_? Why did he want her to say yes so badly? Has he been in love with her all this time?

Chloe shook her head. She must've zoned off again. That's all.

"Um..I..I actually might have to think about it, Adrien."

_It's not a no... but it's not a yes either.._

There it was again! She watched his face fall a bit, but he never moved his lips!

"I'm sorry..It's just that you approached me so suddenly."

_Crap. She's feeling guilty..Do something!_

"Okay, how are you doing that!?" Chloe asked as she looked angry and annoyed. 

The three of them looked at her, confused.

"Doing what?" the teenaged boy asked. 

"Talking without moving your lips!"

"What are talking about Chloe? Every time he talked, I saw his lips move." said Juleka.

"You guys didn't hear him practically begging Mari to say yes!? Or how when she said she was going to think about it, he said 'it's not a no, but it's not a yes' or something."

Marinette blushed even harder, and Adrien looked totally frightened when she said that.

_Oh my God, did she hear all of that? I couldn't have said that out loud since Juleka said I didn't!_

"Yes, I heard all of that!" 

At this point, Adrien was completely weirded out to the point where he was slowly backing up. Marinette and Juleka were totally confused, and Chloe was getting more annoyed as the seconds went by. 

"Chloe..how..you can't be.." he muttered out.

"Can't be what, Adrien? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost.." asked Mari.

"You're...She's...She's reading my mind!"

 _\------_ At Lunch------

"Look, girls, I did not read his mind! He's freaking out over nothing!"

"Nope!" countered Marinette as they sat down at a lunch table. "I saw it for myself! You heard things that we didn't and answered questions that only you heard!"

Chloe scoffed and pushed back her hair, "Maybe you guys didn't hear some things or didn't pay no mind to it."

"Okay, I've gotta step in on this one. I think if Adrien said 'please say yes', we would've paid _some_ mind to it." Julek interjected as she took a bite of her meaty salad. 

"Seriously, I-"

_I can't believe Marinette's sitting with Chloe of all people! Chloe doesn't even care for her! I'm her real friend!_

Chloe rolled her eyes. She knew that was Alya's voice. She didn't think she was so bold to say something like that, but nonetheless, Chloe turned around to respond and was met with a glare. 

The blonde simply smirked. " _Actually_ Alya, I do care for Marinette. It's _you_ who doesn't care for her. Also, a real friend doesn't take and not give anything back in return, nor does she only interact with her when she's checking up on the request, or requesting something else. I, however, couldn't care less about having to give back. I ask how _she's_ doing, not how the _dress_ is doing. I know how to be a good friend, Alya. Can you say the same about yourself?"

Everyone around the two was shocked, including Mari and Juleka. People began to whisper amongst themselves as the two stared at each other. Alya stared at her with a confused yet furious face, and Chloe simply stared back with a smug look on her face.

"Wh-What are you talking about!? I didn't say anything!" Alya claimed.

To be fair, she was telling the truth, but Chloe heard otherwise. 

"Oh save it, Alya. I heard you talking about how I don't care about Marinette or how _you're_ her real friend. Newsflash: You're not!"

Alya's eyes widened, and so did Adrien's.

_There's no way! How did she hear that?_

"I heard it because I'm not deaf like some people here. And why are you looking like you're totally shocked? We all heard you!" she answered.

Students around her whispered again. This time, they were saying that they didn't hear her say anything or asking her what she had heard. 

Chloe grew impatient at the people around her but paused once she saw Mari's and Juleka's confused faces. 

"You guys seriously didn't hear her talking crap?" Chloe asked, motioning to the ombre-haired girl. 

"No," Juleka said as she lowered the volume of her voice, "I didn't hear a thing, and I have good hearing. You just started dogging her out of no-where! I admit it was kinda cool, but totally out of the blue."

"But..I heard her.."

Marinette couldn't help herself as the smile on her face slowly reached her eyes. 

"Nuh-uh! You heard...her mind.." 

\------After School------

"I still can't believe Chloe can read minds! That's totally cool!"

"I'm sure I'm just hallucinating or something. Reading minds? I'm just some rich girl!"

"Yeah," beamed Marinette, "A rich girl who can read minds! Do you know what that can get you? Anything! You can ace tests, interviews, games, TV show answers..You can even solve crimes! How are you not excited?"

Chloe sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, "I..I don't know..I guess it's all weird to me. Me, reading minds..Who would've thought it?"

Juleka placed her hand on Chloe's shoulder and smiled at her. "That doesn't matter. You won't be alone in discovering your new-found power. We'll be there every step of the way, even if we can't help, we'll stand by you for support."

Chloe placed her hand on top of Juleka's and smiled back as Marinette engulfed them in a hug.

"Thanks girls..." was all she could say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you go! I know I didn't put Chloe controlling anybody, but Juleka is next, so I'll most likely put that bit in her chapter. I also apologize if this chapter is shorter than others.
> 
> Comment your thoughts, predictions, ideas, etc! Hope you enjoy this story and what's to come! <3
> 
> (I enjoyed watching TMNT as a child and still do. I might do something like this for that show. What do you think?)


	10. Let it burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juleka's Saturday does not go the way it usually goes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYY I'm finally back! Took a long while but I finished my school year with all A's and B's. Also, thanks for the birthday wishes! Sorry if it's not as well written as the previous chapters.

Juleka yawned as she sat up in her bed. Her clothes were slightly wrinkled and her hair was messy. She stood up out of her bed and stretched. 

Her nose picked up a delicious scent, which she immediately recognized. Luka was up and cooking breakfast. It was something he usually does on the weekends or on the days that he wasn't working. He decided to step up and be the parent of the household ever since their mother left them. 

Juleka made her way to the kitchen of their home boat, where she found her older brother standing over the stove, frying some eggs. 

"Morning, Jules. I've already fixed your plate, so you can go ahead and start eating." he greeted, not turning around or stopping what he was doing.

Juleka nodded her head, even though he wasn't looking, and sat down at the table and began to eat. She ate silently and was about to get lost in her thoughts when Luka brought her back, sparking up a conversation. 

"So..Chloe and Marinette? Marinette, I totally expected, but Chloe's an entirely different case. Tell me about her." 

Juleka rolled her eyes and chuckled. "You make it sound like I'm dating someone. Chloe...I would say she's changed, but she's been a good person all this time. She's just hidden behind some evil persona. Others see a spoiled brat, but Mari and I see an insecure girl who needed some friends to lift her back up. That's all really.." she answered.

Luka raised one of his eyebrows, "And how are they treating you? You're being included as well, right?"

His sister nodded her head as she continued to eat. "They're doing way better than Rose and the others. We have group chats, group calls, scheduled hangouts, random hangouts, and more. They make sure I'm included, and if one of us is not going, the other two are not going."

"Sounds like you've found yourself some good friends. I'm happy for you, Jules." he said as he brought his own plate to the table. 

They ate as they chatted and talked for about an hour until they both went into their rooms to get ready for the day.

\-----------OUI OUI----------

Juleka sat outside, on a bench, looking at her phone as she waited for Chloe and Marinette to show up. They had texted her saying that she needed to be ready soon. They said that they were coming to pick her up, but they never specified what it was. 

So there she was, instead of spending her Saturday in her comfortable room, she was sitting out under the hot sun, by herself, where anything could've happened to her.

Juleka sighed, a strand of her purple hair flying up, then flying back down as her patience slowly grew thin. She enjoyed spending time with her friends, but she was planning to go back inside and cancel the plans. The sun was most definitely not good for her pale skin. 

Just as she was about to let out another huff of importance, she heard a horn honking and watched as a fancy car pulled up in front of the boat. The backseat window rolled down to reveal Chloe and Marinette, with big smiles on their face. 

"Get in, gorgeous, we're going shopping!" Chloe announced.

Juleka stood up and made her way to the lowered window. She was confused, but happy since she secretly enjoyed shopping. 

"What's going on?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Chloe playfully rolled her eyes. "Duh! We're going shopping!" she replied. 

"Is your dad okay with this? Didn't he have some kind of event going on today?"

"Yeah...I'll explain on the way. Now hurry up and get in the car! I may be the mayor's daughter, but the mall is not going to wait for us!" 

Juleka decided to hold her tongue and get in the car. She knew she wouldn't get an answer unless she did. Chloe was stubborn like that.

"Take us the mall." commanded Chloe to the driver. 

"Yes, Ms. Bourgeois." the driver replied in a monotone voice. That most definitely caught Juleka's attention. She may have not know the driver personally, but she knew they had more expressiveness than that. It almost sounded as if they were..in a trance.

"Let me explain.." Chloe said, breaking Juleka out of her thoughts, "You know how we found out that I can read minds? Turns out there's more to that..This morning, I wanted to go out with you guys. You know, take you shopping and all that, but my dad wouldn't let me. He said that he wanted me to be there for one of those monthly banquets those rich guys hold. I argued with him until I just outright said 'let me go to the mall.' At that moment, his entire attitude changed. He went from forcing me to go to a banquet, to giving me extra money for shopping and wishing me a good time."

Juleka blinked, "So what you're saying is that.."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah..I guess I can control minds."

"That's awesome, right! Maybe she can make Ms. Bustier raise our grades, or get us into private places!" beamed Marinette as she tried to control her joy. 

Juleka smiled, "That would be awesome, but you shouldn't use your powers just for your benefits. Maybe you can get a criminal to confess a crime they did, or maybe expose corrupt business owners and dirty cops." she suggested. 

Marinette nodded, "I agree, but it couldn't hurt. What do you think Chloe?"

Both girls looked to Chloe, expecting an answer or a choice. Chloe stayed as silent as the driver for a moment, then spoke her mind. "Let's...let's just focus on getting to the mall before the crowd." she said as she looked out the window of the car.

Marinette and Juleka both shared a look before agreeing that they should let Chloe keep to herself for the remainder of the ride. After all, with her situation, she needed it.

\---------- _Ratatouille était ma merde, cependant_ \---------

"Finally. That ride took longer than expected." Chloe grumbled as the three teenagers entered the mall. She twirled around and smiled at them as she held her arms out. It was clear that Chloe loved shopping as well. "So? Where to first?"

"Um..how about _Magasin de vêtements génériques_? I heard they have nice clothes." Marinette suggested.

The three made their way _Magasin de vêtements génériques_ and agreed to split up throughout the store. Juleka went over to the darker clothes section, Chloe went to the more expensive and name brand section, and Marinette was just moving around the store, looking for anything that suits her taste.

While Juleka was admiring a knee-length, collared, black dress, she heard a voice that she didn't need to hear at that moment.

"Jule?"

It was Rose's voice.

Juleka bit her lip and turned around, looking at Rose with a neutral expression. 

"Hi, Rose. This part of the store isn't really your style, is it?"

The short blond before her nervously fidgeted. She cleared her throat before speaking in her high pitched voice.

"I..I followed you Juleka. I saw you enter the mall with Chloe and Mari, and I wanted to talk to you. Just not with _her_ around.." Rose admitted.

Juleka calmly held back a scoff. It's been mentioned and seen many times that Chloe was trying to change for the better. The people of France, in general, saw her in a better light, but for the students at Françoise Dupont High School, she was still the devil in disguise. They only saw her for her past deeds. She even apologized, or tried to, but they refused to even look at her. It made Juleka sick how they were acting, but it also allowed them to show their true colors. She understands that someone can be the evilest person you'll ever come across, but if they come to you and apologize in a mature way, you act mature yourself. Not like some child who was refused chocolate and is still mad about it.

The tall girl didn't bother to ask about it, because she wanted to hear what Rose had to say. She didn't want to talk to Rose at all, but that would be immature of her. 

"Okay..What do you want to talk about?" 

"I want to talk about you and Marinette. You're both making a big mistake! You know you can't trust Chloe!" Rose claimed, her voice growing a bit in volume. This made Juleka give Rose a look that said 'are you serious?' Yes, Chloe may have done some bad things, but whenever she gave her word, she would do her best to keep it. 

"And why not?" she asked, crossing her arms. Even though she asked the question, Juleka already knew how Rose was going to answer. 

"Because she's a horrible person! Don't you recall some of the things she's done? Just because she's said she's sorry doesn't make up for what she's done! She's said sorry before and went back to being the awful person she is!" 

Juleka tried to speak her opinion, but Rose's squeaky voice stopped her from even opening her mouth. 

"She's evil, Juleka!" 

Okay, now she was getting on her nerves. 

"She's just using you!"

And her voice was starting to get really annoying. 

"Soon, she'll reveal her true nature!"

Juleka could feel her body getting warm as if there was a growing flame in her chest. The dress in her hand wrinkled a bit as she clenched her fists. She felt herself getting angry, but was trying to keep her composure.

"And we're not going to be there when you come crawling back if you keep being friends with her!"

Now that really set her off. 

"God, just **shut up!** "

Rose jumped at Juleka's sudden outburst. Her face scrunched up when she smelled something burning and saw smoke. She looked down at Juleka's hands and gasped, backing away with her hand over her mouth. 

Juleka was indeed confused by this. She looked down at her hands too and nearly screamed at the sight. 

Her fists were on fire, and the dress was in flames, slowly becoming ashes on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm sorry for the long wait, but I've been pretty blocked. I wanted to give you guys a chapter after a long time, but I had trouble writing it out. I also apologize if I didn't describe their outfits or hair, and I apologize if I don't do it in later chapters. In other words, sorry for the short and sucky chapter. :(
> 
> Anywho, for those who watch or watched TMNT, I'm planning a fanfiction that will go in a way that you most definitely will not expect. Honestly, I'm hyping myself up because I'm just thinking about it and how it will turn out! I originally had it to be Mikey-centered, but Donnie seems like a good fit too. It'll be for the 2012 version. It won't involve too much of the show lore, because after weeks, I started watching it again in the middle of season 3. Like this show...
> 
> So.......
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	11. Upcoming and Past Events

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette's flashes return along with a shocking revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the long wait, but I've been having trouble writing lately. Still, I could never forget or abandon you guys out of nowhere! <3

"So..." Chloe began, "You wanna tell us what happened back there, Jules?"

Juleka opened her mouth but shut it right after, not knowing what to say. She shrugged her shoulders. "I really don't know. I mean, my hands feel and look unscathed."

"So, you're telling us that out of nowhere, your hands caught on fire? And you didn't feel anything? Anything at all?" Chloe asked, raising her eyebrow and folding her arms.

"Well, the only thing I know that happened is that Rose confronted me. I got angry..and my hands were on fire." Juleka answered. 

As Chloe was basically interrogating Julekla, Marinette brought a hand to her head as the world around her began to blur out. She shut her eyes and let out a breath that echoed until there was nothing but silence.

\--------- _Temps de vision_!---------

_After a short while, Marinette opened her eyes and found herself in the store that they were in earlier. This time, it was the section that Juleka would've preferred._

_Speaking of, in front of her were in fact Juleka and Rose. Juleka had an agitated look on her face and Rose looked outright mad._

_Marinette had no idea what was going on. One minute, she's in the car listening to Juleka attempt to explain what happened earlier, and now she's back in the store. But there was no fire, no smoke, no ashes, and no one seemed to be freaking out._

_"Jule-"_

_"-You're both making a big mistake! You know you can't trust Chloe!" she heard Rose yell out. Marinette froze as she closed her mouth and listened in on the scene before her._

_So far, the only thing that was happening was that Rose was telling Juleka that Chloe was no good. It was usual to them, now. Seemed like every other day, someone approached her and Juleka and tried to 'warn' them._

_Marinette watched the Juleka's face. The more Rose yelled and talked, the more infuriated she got. In fact, Mari herself was starting to feel some of that anger. This was not the Rose they remembered. The Rose they knew was sweet and kind. She always looked on the bright side of things and never spoke ill of anyone._

_"And we're not going to be there when you come crawling back if you keep being friends with her!"_

_"God, just **shut up!** "_

_In an instant, Marinette saw Juleka's hand ignite and proceed to burn the dress that she was holding. Before she could react, her head began to spin. Before she knew it, everything was black._

\---------Back To The Program---------

"Marinette!" 

Marinette's body jumped as she suddenly found herself back in the car with Chloe and Juleka. She looked to her right and saw both of them looking at her with concerned and shocked faces. 

"Mari, what happened? Are you okay?" Chloe asked. 

"I..I don't know.." she said, still recovering from whatever had just happened to her, "I was just sitting here, listening to you guys. Then, next thing I know, I'm back in the mall. In the same store that we were just in, earlier! Except I saw Juleka and Rose. Arguing." 

Juleka raised her eyebrow in confusion, "What? How? That's impossible, you were nowhere near us when it happened." 

"That's what I was thinking!" Marinette agreed. 

"What, you had some kind of vision of the past or something? Like maybe you saw what happened after it happened?" Chloe wondered out loud. 

Marinette shrugged. "Maybe. This isn't the first time something like this has happened before, though. Last Thursday, right before Ms. Bustier's test, I every time I closed my eyes, I could see the correct answers! And whenever someone approaches me or says something, I know it's them or what they're going to say."

Chloe and Juleka both shared a shocked look between each other, then back at Marinette. 

"Mari," Juleka started, "From what you're saying, it sounds like you're showing signs of being a psychic. Possibly a medium."

 _A psychic? Medium?_ Marinette thought. She had never thought of that. All she had really come up with was that there something going on with her. Maybe she was overworked and exhausted herself to the point where her mind was punishing her. 

"A psychic? A-Are you sure?"

Juleka nodded, "I'm most definitely sure. I'm a big fan of the occult and anything related, so I know what is and how to see it. The best explanation is that you have psychic abilities."

"But, no one in my family is psychic! Don't you have to inherit that stuff? Don't get me wrong, this is awesome, but I doubt that out of nowhere, I got these weird abilities."

"You're right. Maybe someone in your either didn't know or hid the truth. Or, maybe you've always had these powers and they're just now coming in. There's got to be an explanation for this." Juleka explained. 

Marinette's mind was spinning with information and questions. She bit her lip and twiddled her thumbs as she lowered her head. She didn't know how to feel about all this. Still, she believed Juleka knew what she was talking about. 

Chloe spoke up, seeing how uncomfortable her friend was feeling, "How about we head back to my place? Besides, we can't just forget all about Juleka and her flaming fists."

Marinette sighed as the driver started the car. She turned her head away and towards the window as she muttered something under her breath. 

"I knew you were going to say that."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_To Chloe's Place-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Now, Chloe and Marinette were in Chloe's room, waiting for Juleka to return with something that would help them test Marinette's possible psychism. Marinette was pacing back and forth, while Chloe sat down on the couch with her arms folded. 

"Marinette, I know you're scared-"

"I'm not scared, Chloe, I'm just...I'm just freaking out, I guess." 

"I thought this kind of stuff was cool to you? You were totally amazed when we found out that I could read minds." she noted. 

Marinette turned to Chloe, "Because it was you! I know this sounds selfish, but it's a lot less scary or freaky-"

"-When it's not you. I get it. But, just like I did, you eventually get used to it and learn to accept it. To the point where it's not scary at all." Chloe finished. 

Her words comforted Marinette enough for her to stop pacing, but she still stood up.

Just as Marinette was finally calming down, Juleka came in with a pack of cards. 

The blonde of the group raised her eyebrows, "What, are we doing some kind of tarot reading?"

Juleka playfully rolled her eyes, "No, silly, it's just a bunch of cards with random things on it."

"Well, what are they for?" Marinette asked. She sat down on the opposite couch and Juleka made her way to sit beside Chloe. 

Juleka opened the pack of cards, making sure that Marinette could only see the back. "We're going to see if you truly are psychic. If you can say what's on the cards, then we'll know."

Once they were all situated, Juleka held up a card, "Now, I want you to look at the card, close your eyes, then focus. When you feel like you know what's on the card, go ahead and say it."

Juleka held up a card and showed it to Chloe. Marinette closed her eyes and saw a flash of what looked to be an orange circle. 

"Is it an..orange circle?"

Chloe and Juleka's eyes widened. Juleka turned around the card, and it was exactly what Marinette had seen. 

This happened a few more times, continuously shocking the girls. After the final card, it was evident that Juleka's explanation was correct. Marinette was a psychic. 

"Wait are you sure? I mean, how is this possible? This is-Ah!"

Marinette gripped her head as the world once again faded away. 

+++++Oh merde! Une vision!+++++

_"Marinette!"_

_Marinette saw Adrien running towards something. Or someone._

_The person he was running towards wore a white Qipao dress that stopped right below her knees along with some white flats. Her dark hair what tied into a bun by a long white ribbon, whose ends stopped at her lower back._

_The figure sighed. "What do you want, Adrien?"_

_That voice..was that her?_

_Adrien nervously looked down at the floor, rubbing his neck. "I..I just wanted to talk to you.."_

_The figure agitatedly turned around and Marinette's mouth almost dropped open. It was her, but more...beautiful?_

_"You're already doing that. Just tell me what you want, Adrien."_

_"I..I want a second chance.."_

_The vision Marinette rolled her eyes, and present Marinette was confused. Why was Adrien begging for another chance? A chance at what, exactly? Were they dating?_

_"Are you ser-"_

_"I swear, Adrien, are you really pestering and begging out sister again?"_

_Before Marinette register or see anything thing, the world disappeared around her, and forced her back to the present world._

\-----C'était ça?-----

The dark-haired girl let out a breath as she found herself back in Chloe's room. She gripped her head as her ears were ringing and the world was spinning. She couldn't comprehend or understand anything in that moment except for one thing. 

She really was psychic. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was psychic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is horribly written! It's been a whole month and I felt bad for not putting anything out! Other than that, please share your thoughts in the comments! :)
> 
> OMG, this chapter feels so forced out T_T


	12. Powered Up Trio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After discovering their abilities, Marinette and Chloe decide to look and see if Juleka has any.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOF Why am I so bad at this? (ಥ﹏ಥ)
> 
> I feel like I disappoint y'all constantly. (╥_╥)

It was the next Monday after that eventful weekend. Marinette was still coming to terms with the fact that she had psychic abilities, but everything was much clearer to her now. The flashes, the extremely accurate guesses, and those strange 'feelings' that always proved themselves to be right.

Still, she had no idea what to do with her newfound powers. Her first thought was to ask someone for advice, but no one near her would be able to relate or give her actual advice that would help. She could also call up or go to a psychic in Paris, but she never really believed they were legit.

Marinette shook her head as she stared herself in the bathroom mirror. The thing to do was to follow Chloe's advice and learn to control and accept them.

This week, the girls decided they should keep their outfits more simple. Marinette wore a white halter top and light blue jean shorts that stopped just above her knees. She wore Air Forces along with some no-show socks. 

To complement her look, she straightened her hair and wore it down, along with four white hair clips, two on each side. She even kept her makeup light and simple. Marinette put on eyeliner, mascara, and some hint of blush. 

Marinette made sure her outfit was still decent before walking out and heading to her classroom where Juleka and Chloe were waiting for her. She kept her eyes to the ground, losing herself in thoughts and she neared the steps. In an instant, she knew to stop and to look up. 

In front of her was Adrien Agreste, looking as nervous as ever. Marinette didn't mind, though. To her, it felt like it had been ages since they talked.

"Hey, Mari. You beautiful today.." he complimented, staring down at her. 

This made her blush a bit, "Thanks.." she said, looking down at her feet. 

Adrien cleared his throat and tugged on his V-neck, "So..I was wondering if you ever came to a decision..it's alright if you say no."

Marinette was about to say something but paused. As much as she like Adrien, she would get odd feelings around him. Like they just weren't meant to be together. At the same time, a lot of people that don't seem to work are the most compatible and happy with each other. Plus, even if they didn't work out, heartbreak was a part of life. Especially the first heartbreak. 

"Sure. How about Friday?"

Adrian's face lit up. He smiled and nodded his head as his smile grew. "Yeah. Friday works.." he said, trying to contain his excitement, but according to everyone around him, he was failing horribly, "I know a fancy restaurant that's not too far from the bakery. I'll text you the details."

Marinette nodded as she began to walk to her class. She waved back at him as she walked up the stairs with a huge smile on her face. 

=====OUI OUI BAGUETTE=====

Marinette both looked at each other and then back to Ms. Mendeleiev in boredom. Chloe was in another class, so it was just them. The whole class looked as if they were bored, and it didn't help that Ms. Mendeleiev was lecturing them about behavior and listening _instead_ of actually teaching them how to conduct the actual experiment they were supposed to be doing. 

Like in Miss Bustier's class, they sat in the back, so they could whisper to each other if they wanted to. 

Marinette rolled her eyes as the teacher droned on about the safety measures and gear of experimenting as if she didn't teach them the same thing 2 weeks ago. 

"I'll be shocked if the experiment _isn't_ delayed." she whispered, resting her head in her palm. 

Juleka shrugged, "I'll bet that she'll push it into next week _because we're not ready for it_." 

Finally, after another 5 minutes of lecturing, everyone and their partners finally got together and started the experiment. 

Marinette was pouring the contents out and Juleka was the one to get the other supplies. As she passed Alix and Kim, she shivered as the breeze coming from the open window blew heavily against her skin. Of course, Ms. Mendeleiev was too busy to actually do anything. 

"H-Hey, is it alright if you close that window a little bit? The breeze is pretty chilly," she asked. 

Alix scoffed, "No one's complaining but you, Juleka. The breeze is totally fine. Maybe try wearing warmer clothing." 

Juleka's eyebrows furrowed as she glanced down at her outfit. All she wore was a black t-shirt with the white silhouette of a unicorn and blacked ripped jeans that went down to her ankles. Her hair was down and her makeup was light. There was nothing really wrong with her outfit at all. 

She looked up at the two and glared at them as she continued to Ms. Mendeleiev's desk. Once she got the stuff and was making her way back over to Marinette, she glanced at Alix and Kim angrily. Only this time, an extremely strong current blew towards them, pushing the entire desk over and making the glass containers shatter and the comments inside spillover.

Their clothes and hair were also ruined, adding some humiliation to the situation.

Juleka and others around them jumped back and prepared for their desks to fall over. Even Marinette jumped at the sound of the desk falling. Oddly enough, no one but those two was affected. Even Ms. Mendeleiev's papers on her desk didn't move one inch.

"Everyone get back to what you were doing!" ordered Ms. Mendeleiev, "You two, get out and find someone to clean up this mess."

Alix and Kim nodded as they hurriedly rushed out, their cheeks flushed and their eyes facing the ground.

Juleka made her way back to her desk that she shared with Marinette and sat down, still looking shocked.

"What was that?"

"I....I don't really know but I might have an idea.."

"Really?" Marinette asked, her curiosity peaking up once more. 

Juleka nodded, "First, I want to try something. Ms. Mendeleiev said to put the tubes over some fire, right?"

"Right, but we have to ask her to light it for us, remember? She doesn't trust us with fire." 

"I know, but I just need to see something...hand me one of the tubes."

Marinette gave Juleka a test tube that was filled with a purple, liquid substance. She was confused, but she trusted her friend. At the same time, she had another one of those feelings that it would something most definitely out of the ordinary.

Juleka held the tube over her hand, even though it was slightly shaking, and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Ms. Mendeleiev was helping another pair, and everyone else was too busy trying to perfect the experiment to please their teacher, so no one had their eyes on the two girls in the back. 

Looking back down at the tube and her hand, Juleka concentrated and focused her mind on a flame. She felt some sort of heat in her hand the more she concentrated.

She slightly clenched her hand and a small flame sparked in the middle of her pale palm, warming the tube above it. 

Marinette gasped as the flame heated their skin and reflected against their eyes. Juleka quickly shushed her, fearing that they would catch someone's attention. 

They both most definitely had to tell Chloe about this.

+++++{WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW}+++++

Lunch had finally arrived, but this time, the trio decided not to go to the cafeteria. Of course, Chloe complained, but once she saw her best friends' panicked faces, her complaints immediately stopped. 

The ran back to Ms. Mendeleiev's classroom, which was empty and surprisingly unlocked. 

Chloe crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "So why are we skipping lunch and hiding in Ms. Mendeleiev's class again?"

Marinette bit her lip, "So...y'know how we suddenly gained powers out of nowhere? You can read minds and I can basically predict the future.."

Chloe nodded, encouraging Marinette to go on. 

"Weeelllll...why don't I let Juleka tell you?"

Juleka spoke up right after, "Turns out I've got powers as well."

Chloe dropped her arms to her side, "Really?"

"Really. During this weekend, I experimented. It's not just fire, either. I can control multiple elements. I even think Kim and Alix's desk falling over was me."

"Wait seriously? How come you get cool powers!?" Chloe exclaimed, looking upset.

"Now, Chlo, our powers are cool, too! Just having powers is cool!" Marinette said, trying to remain optimistic.

"I guess, but what does this mean? Are we the only ones with 'powers' or are there more of us out there?" 

"Unless Marinette has a vision, none of us can really tell. But we can't tell anyone about this...Who knows what'll happen. All we can do is maybe try to control our powers and live with them like you said." Juleka said, keeping a calm face and voice. 

"At least we'll have each other's backs, right? No one can understand us like we understand each other now."

The three girls all nodded in smiled. From that moment on, their lives and friendship had changed. And from what it seemed like, it was for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBH Wouldn't it be cool if someone drew the girls in the outfits I put them in? 
> 
> Sorry for the trash ending.
> 
> Comment, Like, Share, and Subscribe!


	13. Girl's Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls have a sleepover and enjoy their night out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL I was gonna name this "Class Fight" where Alya and Marinette have some big fallout or something XD

"Wait, you actually agreed to a date with him?" 

Marinette nodded with her head with a smile. "Believe it or not, I would've never guessed he had any interest in me. All this time, I thought my obsessiveness and stuttering would freak him out and scare him away."

"Actually, you got over those two over time. You even took down most of his pictures and replaced them with pictures of other models and us. Now all you do is get somewhat flustered, but that's all."

Marinette glanced downwards and realized that Juleka was right. Her computer background was no longer Adrien, but a selfie between the three girls, eating pasties outside of Chloe's balcony. 

"So when is it?" Chloe asked, crisscrossing her legs on Marinette's bed. 

"We both agreed on Friday. He texted and suggested that I wear something fancy. But tonight's not about him or our date. It's about us girls!" Marinette said, jumping off the bed. She turned to her friends, "So what's first on the agenda?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow, "First on the agenda? I thought we were spending the rest of our night gossiping and eating snacks." 

"I mean we can, or we can have a fun time running around through Paris," Marinette responded. 

"I don't know about 'Running around through Paris' but going out does seem fun. Plus, it's not that late. I'm sure Marinette's parents wouldn't mind," joined in Juleka. 

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds good to me." 

* * *

Chloe narrowed her eyes at the person who served her ice-cream. It most definitely _wasn't_ Andre, the one who _usually_ served outdoor ice cream throughout all of Paris. 

It was the same guy who worked at the smoothie restaurant the trio went to when they were first becoming friends. He simply smiled back at her, his eyes holding an emotion that looked _a lot_ like love. Marinette and Juleka were too busy enjoying their ice cream and chatting, so it was just her and the blue-eyed redhead. 

Seeming unfazed by Chloe's death stare, the teenage boy spoke. 

"I hope that ice cream is to your liking. Believe it or not, Banana and Blueberry go together, like a smooth-"

"Where's Andre?" 

The boy blinked in shock before reverting back to his smile. "Andre's...Well..he's resting. A man in his condition shouldn't be going around Paris day and night, so he's been training others in his craft," he answered. 

"Condition?" Chloe asked. 

"No one knows exactly what's wrong with him, but he's sick. Once word got out that he was ill, a bunch of us decided to continue his legacy and follow his path. I mean, half of the people in Paris got together because of him. We couldn't let his light die out."

At first, Chloe thought Andre was an annoying old man who was obsessed with ice cream. Her mother thought so before she left them, but after spending so much time with her Marinette and Juleka, she eventually saw why everyone like Andre so much. He was a man who was happy with his life and wanted to share his happiness with others through ice-cream. Plus, his ice cream was delicious. 

"But I've never seen you around Paris before. How do you know Andre?"

The boy shrugged, "It's a long story, but he and my mom were best friends in college. I'd heard so much about him, so I just said 'Why not?' It seemed like the right thing to do."

Finishing her cone, Chloe wiped her hands and crossed her arms, "But that doesn't answer my question. I know just about every person in Paris, but I don't know _you_."

She glanced over to Marinette and Juleka who were slowly finishing off their cones. She then turned back to the redheaded boy, who was biting his lip and looking down at his hands.

"I'm...Uh..I'm Gabriel!" he answered.

Before Chloe could answer, Marinette and Juleka approached the cart. 

"The ice cream was great!" Marinette said. She turned to Chloe and interlocked their arms together, "So, where next?"

Chloe looked Gabriel one last time before the trio walked away. 

* * *

"The ice rink? Why here?" Marinette asked. 

Chloe grimaced and hugged herself while Marinette and Juleka put on skates. 

"Well, I wanted to try something out. Ever since we discovered our powers, I've always wanted to see what I could do." Juleka answered, fastening the laces. 

Making her way to the ice, Juleka stepped on to it. She skated over to the middle of the rink and held her hands out toward the ice. Suddenly, snow began to build on top of the ice, until there was a tall mound of ice. Chloe and Marinette stared at Juleka and the new snow with astonishment. 

Marinette made her way towards the ice as Chloe hurriedly put on her skates. Grabbing a hand full of cold snow, Marinette smiled. 

"Now this is what I call amazing. How did you find out about this?" she beamed, letting some of the snow fall through the cracks of her fingers. 

Juleka shrugged, "I got it from a movie I watched." she answered.

Marinette's happy smile quickly turned mischievous. As Chloe was skating towards her and Juleka, Marinette quickly made the remaining now into a sphere and launched it Chloe's face, causing her to almost fall back.

Wiping the snow off her face, Chloe glared at Marinette, who was holding her stomach as she laughed. 

"Is that how you want to play it?" 

Juleka smiled as she knew what was exactly going to happen. She aimed at multiple spots of the ice rink and created mounds of ice. She ducked behind some snow as she watched Chloe throw a ball of snow right back at Marinette, who immediately stopped laughing. 

In just two minutes the ice rink turned into a warzone. Snowballs were flying back and forth as each of the girls giggled and yelped. 

Snow may have gotten all over their hair and clothes, but they didn't care at the moment. 

* * *

Juleka ran her hands through her damp hair as they all walked through the gates of the park near Marinette's house. It was starting to get dark, and they were chased out of the ice rink, so they decided to sit on the carousel for a while.

"I totally won that battle." Marinette claimed, sitting on a horse. 

Chloe and Juleka both sat on a chariot and that behind the horse. Chloe scoffed and crossed her arms and smiled. 

"As if! I obviously hit the _both_ of you more times. That first shot didn't even count."

Marinette chuckled and was about to say something, but she felt a presence near her, but when she looked around, there was no one there. It didn't feel like whoever was there was intending on hurting them, but it actually made her feel safe and protected. 

She shook the feeling off and continued to chat with her friends. 

They went inside shortly after since it had gotten dark. On the way in, Marinette turned back to look and see if someone was watching her. She didn't see anyone, or she thought she didn't see anyone. 

Once the three went in the building, an old man emerged from behind one of the pillars and lifted his head up and smiled at the balcony as he heard more laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all she wrote! Hopefully, you enjoy this and the upcoming chapters! :)


	14. Heartbreak Avenue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette's date with Adrien doesn't go as planned.

Marinette giggled as she stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help it though. So many happy thoughts were running through her mind that she could barely contain them. 

With the help of Juleka and Chloe, she looked more than ready for her date with Adrien. Chloe took down her hair, styled it, and curled the ends of it. She also did her friend's make up, which consisted of some dark blue eye shadow, eyeliner, a hint of blush, and lip gloss. 

The makeup complemented with the dress Juleka got for her. It was a dark blue longsleeved and wide-skirted dress that went down to below her knees. The bottom of the skirt, the sides of the torso, and the sleeves were embroidered with darker blue floral designs. The dark blue flats matched along with the ensemble.

"So?" she said, with a large grin on her face, "How do I look?"

"You look amazing," Juleka said, grabbing one of her hands and smiling at her. "Adrien's going totally going to fall for you. If he hasn't already."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, quit your worrying! You look great, Mari, we all think so. Plus, Adrien's been already telling you how great you look every morning, I'm pretty sure his jaw's going to drop when he sees you." Chloe scoffed. She studied her nails as she sat in Marinette's spinning chair.

Marinette nodded her head. "You guys are right. But still, there's this feeling in me that's not right."

Chloe stood up, walked over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I know that ever since you found out you were psychic, you've been looking into every odd feeling and dream, but not everything you feel is going to be some signal of the future! This is your first date, you're most likely just nervous."

"Yeah," Juleka agreed, "But you don't have to be scared or nervous. Just be yourself. That's how Adrien fell for you in the first place, right?"

She thought about it. It was a little odd how her body reacted negatively to Adrien and his presence, but Chloe and Juleka's advice had all made sense. It was probably just her and her feelings for him. It was possible that she could've been so excited to see him or so nervous about their upcoming date, that she could've not realized what was happening.

"C'mon, I had dad get us a limo for her!"

"A limo!?" she and Juleka exclaimed in unison.

Chloe nodded with an excited smile on her face. "Yeah! Marinette's too pretty to be escorted in some cheap car! Plus, that restaurant is full of rich people. It's not she's going to cause a big commotion." 

"But still... A limo is a bit much, don't think?" 

Chloe waved a dismissive hand, "Oh, please, it's not like I got a long one like the ones we see on TV! It's short, but it still stands out." 

Marinette and Juleka both shared a look, then shrugged.

"Now come on! We can't keep Adrien _or_ the driver waiting!"

The three of them headed down the stairs of Marinette's home and into the bakery part of it, where she saw her mother and father closing up shop. They both turned and smiled in adoration as they took in their daughter's appearance. 

Sabine gasped, "Sweetie, you look gorgeous! Adrien won't know what to do with himself when he lays his eyes on you!" 

Tom sighed, "I still can't believe you're going on your first date. Our little girl is really growing up on us..."

Tom's wife laughed and looked up at him, "Well, she is sixteen, Tom. Did you really expect her to stay our little dumpling forever?"

Sabine's husband shook his head, "No, but I can still remember her first time crawling. She was in a bear onesie and covered in flour."

"Daaaaadddd!" Marinette groaned.

Both of them chuckled. "Cut your father some slack, honey. It's getting harder for him to accept that he's getting old." giggled Sabine, with that last part being a whisper.

Tom rolled his eyes and both of them extended their arms. Marinette happily hugged both of them and she felt two pairs of lips on both of her cheeks.

"Knock 'em dead, sweetheart!" 

"What your father means is sweep him off his feet!" Sabine called out as the trio hurriedly exited the Bakery. 

They both got in the car and relaxed into the seats as the driver took off. 

"So, do think Adrien will take her on a romantic trip down the lake after this?"

Chloe shook her head, "Nah. You can't or shouldn't go all out on the first date. He'll probably drown her in compliments and overdo it. This is his first date, too. He'll probably break his back for you if you asked him.

"Really?" wondered Marinette.

Chloe nodded, "That's how much he wants to impress you. Trust me, he wouldn't stop talking about you to Nino and Alya yesterday and today at school."

Marinette felt a small smile come on to her face and felt her cheeks heat up. When she first met Adrien and slowly got to know him, all she could think about was him. Her main goal was to at least kiss him. Since then, she's gotten over that phase, but her crush for him still remained. Hearing about how Adrien was head over heels in love with her, brought a warm and happy feeling to her chest. 

Which immediately dropped down into the dark pit of her stomach.

She wrapped an arm around her stomach and held back a small whimper. Then, her head began to throb. Bringing a hand to her head, she shut her eyes tightly hoping the aching would go away. 

_When she opened her eyes, Marinette saw herself sitting on a bench. She was hugging her legs and buried her face into her knees as she saw herself, what looked to be, sobbing._

_She stayed like that for a few minutes, until she heard a voice that sounded familiar._

_"Marinette?"_

Opening her eyes with a small gasp, Marinette saw that she was in the limo again. Chloe and Juleka looked at her at the sound of her gasp. Their expressions became ones of worry once they saw her face.

"Goodness, are you okay, Mari?" questioned Juleka as she wiped Marinette's cheeks. 

Marinette touched her face and felt that it was wet. She didn't even know that tears had escaped her eyes. She didn't even know why tears escaped her eyes. 

"Yeah, I'm fine....Must be the makeup in my eyes," she answered with a light chuckle at the end. She couldn't tell whether or not she was lying, since she didn't know exactly what happened. She knew it was a vision, but it was too short to show or tell her anything. 

Juleka and Chloe both shared an odd look, before nodding and leaving the subject alone. For once, Marinette was glad that no one went deeper into it. 

Staying silent and resting her head on the window for the rest of the ride, the girl in the blue dress perked up when she saw the restaurant that she and Adrien agreed on come into her view. Despite the odd feeling, her stomach starting to show again, a smile grew on her face as she watched the driver pull up to the front of the restaurant.

"Ooohhh! We're here! Now's your time to shine!" beamed Chloe as she clapped her hands together in an exciting manner.

Juleka smiled brightly as well, "Tell us all the details when you get back!"

Marinette giggled as she got out of the car, "Don't worry I will." 

Closing the door, she watched as the limo drove off, waving to her friends as they disappeared into the night with the limo.

Dusting herself off and adjusting her dress a bit, Marinette strolled through two glass doors with extreme confidence. She walked up to the host and smiled, who returned it with a polite smile themselves. 

"Hello, miss. How may I help you?" 

"I have a reservation with Adrien Agreste.." she said in a clear voice.

Looking down at their screen, the host nodded. "Right this way, miss."

Stepping from behind their desk, the host led her to a more secluded part of the restaurant, where people were more spread out and had their own space and area. 

Marinette followed the host, all while looking at the people and the interior of the building. She paid attention to the calm, yet cheerful music playing the background and looked at the string lights that illuminated the walkways, tables, and the booths.

"Oh.." 

Marinette's curiosity was broken by the shocked noise that came out of the host's mouth. 

She looked to where he was looking and froze.

There was Adrien. Looking all handsome and dapper. 

But also locking lips with another girl. Kagami.

Marinette's breath hitched in her throat as she watched the pair practically make out without stopping or noticing that she was there. She felt her chest constrict at the sight of Adrien kissing someone that wasn't her. 

She opened her mouth to say something but so many words and thoughts formed in her mind that she couldn't get any of them out.

"A-Adrien?" she whispered out, but it was still loud enough for them to hear. 

Adrien and Kagami broke apart, both looking shocked and confused. Adrien looked a bit more frightened, and Kagami looked slightly more annoyed. 

"M-Marinette...."

Marinette's wide eyes glared at Adrien as she turned on her heels and stormed away. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she stormed past patrons, waiters, and waitresses, nearly knocking them down. 

Wiping her face with her forearm, she harshly pushed the glass double doors open and walked away from the restaurant. The cold wind blew against her skin and through her hair, but it didn't her stop her. 

She came across a bench that was far away enough from all of those people and sat down on it. Once she did, she felt the tears continuously coming down her cheeks. She kept wiping them to the point where she decided to just bury her face in her hands and let the sobs out. 

The pain in her chest was unbearable. Even if the chances were low, she still dreamed of a possible future with Adrien. At that moment, she felt all of those little moments she anticipated shrivel up and die. Plus, it hurt that of all people, it was Kagami. He didn't even wait until after the first date to replace her.

The cold wind slashed at her legs, making her shiver. She brought them up to her chest and hugged her legs as the tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, but she heard cars pass and people walking past her. No one even bothered to look her way.

Picking her head up and wiping her face, Marinette sniffed as realization dawned on her. The vision earlier was happening right at that moment. All those odd feelings concerning Adrien weren't of excitement. They were small warnings that she was going to get hurt.

"Marinette?"

Marinette shot her head up and looked at who was standing over her. It was Luka, Juleka's older brother. 

"What are you doing out here? It's pretty cold. Are you okay?" he asked with a concerned look on his face. 

Marinette opened her mouth to answer, but the only thing that came out was a sob. She buried her face back between her knees as tears came running down once more. Luka slightly jumped at the sudden crying, then wrapped his arms around Marinette. She unconsciously leaned into him and let out more sobs. 

"Hey, it's okay..let it all out.." comforted Luka. He rubbed her back and held her closer to him. 

Soon, Marinette's sob quieted down and her tears had finally stopped. She slowly sat up and wiped her eyes again. She placed her hands on her legs and stared down at them.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" 

She nodded. "Adrien sorta cheated..We were supposed to have our first date. I was so ready and feeling confident, but when I got there, he was locking lips with Kagami. He didn't chase after me when I stormed out. So much for 'dream guy...'"

"So that's why you look even more beautiful than usual."

Luka's comment caught Marinette off-guard. Her cheeks became a bright red as she tensed up and froze. She then smiled shyly and turned. "I guess I do look nice, but I ruined my makeup.."

He cupped her cheek and turned her face towards his. Marinette had somewhat of a shocked look on her face as the red on her cheeks became more visible. 

"No, it's not. Juleka must've used her special tear-proof make up. But that's not the point. It would be a shame to waste such a nice night. You're too pretty to just be sitting out here crying your eyes out." He let go of her face and smiled at her, "How about I take you out myself? Maybe get your mind off of Adrien?"

Marinette stayed silent. She still felt as if her night had been ruined, but it was still pretty early. And like, Luka had said, she looked too nice to just go back home and cry her eyes out. 

"What about you and Juleka? Don't you have to get home?"

Luka shook his head. "Juleka's staying the night at your place, remember? And plus, She'd be fine. It's the first time I've come home late. Still, it's okay if you want to head home as soon as possible. I can walk you home or call a taxi if you want."

 _'He's such a gentleman...Plus it really is a nice night..'_ she thought, biting her lip.

Marinette closed her eyes as she slowly nodded.

'Why not?'

Luka smiled. He stood up and offered his hand. Marinette took and stood up with his help. She fixed her dress and interlocked her arm with his. They both smiled at each other as they strolled into the night.

* * *

"Oh my God, are you serious?"

Luka chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Mom thought it was a good idea to get us into music early. She didn't expect all of that chaos to happen."

"I can imagine it. Little Luka gnawing on an electric guitar..Kinda cute when you think about it." Marinette giggled.

"My mom didn't think so. After all of that, she just got us fake, stuffed guitars."

"Awww!" She gushed. "That's even cuter!"

"...I'll let you believe that."

The two laughed as they strolled next to the Seine. There may have been other people out there with them, but they both only paid attention to each other. 

While strolling, Marinette's stomach growled loudly. She placed a hand on it and sighed. 

"I forgot I skipped dinner.."

"Well, I know a place that we can eat at while getting a nice view of the river."

"Really? But it's getting late. Some places are already closed."

He shrugged and smiled a smug smile. "Well, performing a couple of times at some places can reap some pretty good benefits. So, you in?"

With a smile, Marinette looked up at her date. "Yeah, I'm in."

* * *

"You were right, Luka. This view is nice..."

Marinette stared out at the lake and night. The hair blew against her and through her hair as she absent-mindedly stirred the cup of ice-cream in front of her. 

Luka simply stared at the girl in front of him. After a while, he chuckled and shook his head. 

"You're amazing, y'know?"

Marinette turned to him with a shocked expression. "Huh?"

"I said you're amazing. You've picked yourself back up after getting hurt like it was nothing."

She smiled, "It was easy. It's not like we were in a committed relationship. It was supposed to be our first date. It still hurt, but I'm not too torn about it."

"Still, you're pretty strong. Plus, you've been a great friend to Juleka...She wasn't her usual self for a few months, but after the three of you got together, she seems even happier than before. Now all she can talk about is you two." He praised before he took a bite of his ice cream.

"I hope that's a good thing..."

"Trust me, it is. You're a selfless person who puts everyone, including people she sometimes doesn't even know, before her. It's pretty hard to find people like you."

Marinette blushed, smiled, and looked away. "Well, you're amazing, too. You're a real gentleman. You offered to cheer me up and or take me home with no hesitation. Plus, you respected my decision. That's pretty rare these days as well."

Luka chuckled again, "I guess we're both amazing, huh?"

She nodded, "I guess we are."

After that, they took their time to finish their ice cream. They originally decided to stop by Andre's small cart on their way home, but they had realized how late it was getting. When they were ready to leave, Luka paid the bill, even though Marinette protested against it. 

They chatted and laughed as they walked through the streets of Paris. Once they finally made it back to Marinette's home, they stopped and turned to each other. 

"Luka...Thank you."

He smiled sweetly at her. "No problem. I-"

"No, really. Thank you. You didn't have to do that for me."

"Trust me, I most definitely wanted to. Plus, I couldn't leave you there like that," he said, taking her hands. 

"Well, again, thank you. I had a wonderful time." she thanked as she interlocked their hands together.

"I did too...Maybe we can do it again?" he asked, looking away and growing a small blush on his face.

"As in...another date?"

"Y-Yeah...only if you're willing, though."

Marinette smiled as a blushed crept onto her face once more. She felt her heart flutter and felt her stomach do a couple of flips. A nice, tingling sensation entered her head, making her smile grow.

"I'd love to. Same time next week?"

With a bigger and happier smile, Luka nodded. 

"Sure! Goodnight, Marinette."

Marinette stood up on the tips of her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight Luka."

With that, she unlocked the door of the bakery, went in, then locked it again. She turned and waved at Luka, who waved back, then went up the stairs with a skip in her step and a large smile.

She opened the door to her room, where she saw a confused and shocked Chloe and Juleka. 

She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Chloe crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her, "That was _not_ Adrien...."

Marinette's smile fell and she sucked her teeth. 

"About that...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you enjoy the extra-long chapter! Share your thoughts in the comments!


	15. Class fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other students of the girls' class decide to express their opinions about them.

"I still can't believe he had the gall to kiss that girl like that in front of you!" Chloe huffed as they walked through the school's entrance. 

Marinette sadly smiled. "I know..All of that effort for...Well, nothing. But we shouldn't dwell on that! It's a new day, which means a new mood and perspective! Besides, I've got another date with Luka this Friday." 

Juleka pushed back some of her hair, "Speaking of Luka, he wouldn't stop talking about you when I went home. I think you really have an effect on him, Mari."

"R-Really?" asked Marinette. She blushed and had a smile on her face at the thought of Luka talking about her.

The three girls walked into the room where all of their lockers were. Thankfully, they were alone, so they were able to discuss other matters that were more secretive. They put down their bags and unlocked their lockers. 

Marinette placed her science and math books in her locker along with a few other things. "You know...I had a vision about it, right before it happened."

Chloe, instead of getting the right things for Ms. Bustier's class, was doing her makeup in the mirror she had Sabrina install. She paused and looked over to Marinette, "Really?"

The blue-eyed girl nodded, "That, and when we were first becoming friends, I had an odd dream. I heard everyone's voices. They all sounded angry and disappointed, then I heard you guys' voices."

Juleka closed her locker, "What did we say?" she questioned.

"How we were all that we had and how we would have each other's backs. I thought nothing of it, at first, but now knowing what I know, I'm kinda worried about what's to come. Plus, I have this horrible feeling about today."

Chloe had a concerned and worried look on her face. She turned to Juleka, who had the same look. Then she turned back to Marinette

"Well, it's not like we can dismiss something like that, especially if it comes from you, Mari. The most we can do is just hope for the best."

Juleka nodded, "Chloe's right. If something really does happen, at least we'll be somewhat prepared."

All three of the girls grabbed their bags, exited the locker room, and walked up the stairs to their first class of the day.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! That concludes today's lesson! Since it only took half of the class, I'll let you all do what you want as long as you don't get too loud. Now, I have to go do a couple of things to prepare for a meeting and the next class, so I might be gone for a while. I trust that you all will be able to behave yourselves and not cause a ruckus."

With that, Ms. Bustier left the classroom and left the students inside to themselves. They all either decided to talk to each other, work on something else, or take out their phones. 

Marinette turned back to Chloe and Juleka with a smile. Somehow and someway, Alix had found a new seat so she wouldn't have to sit by the three girls. 

"Hey, Jule, can I bring my sketchbook to your place tomorrow? I've got a few ideas on some new outfits that would totally suit you and Chloe!"

Juleka snickered, "Sure! As long as you make some coats so I can beat you guys at the snowball fight again!"

"Oh please! Do you still think you won? Last time, as I recall, I was the one covered in the least snow." Chloe scoffed as she typed on her phone.

"Fine! How about we have another competition? Whoever builds a snowman the slowest and messiest, has to pay for lunch the next day!" Marinette suggested. 

Chloe and Juleka were both about to agree when another voice broke in and ruined their happy mood.

"Can you guys please keep it down? Some of us here are trying to concentrate!" 

All three of them turned to look at Ayla, who turned around and glaring at them. They looked around and saw most of the other students looking at them with annoyed and agitated faces. 

Adrien had his head lowered and his shoulders slumped as he faced the board. 

"But we're all done with the lesson, and everyone else is talking, too," replied Marinette. She was confused on why Alya was targeting them even though they weren't talking loud at all.

"That may be, but that doesn't mean you're talking extremely loud! Seriously, Mari, ever since you and Juleka have been hanging with Chloe, you guys seemed to have climbed on top of the same high horse that's she's on!"

Marinette and Juleka's eyes widened and their mouths slightly opened at the accusation as Chloe glared at her.

"Are you serious, Alya?"

The dark-skinned girl nodded her head. "Yes, I am! You never have any time for us and you refuse to help anyone but those two! And not only that! You ditched Adrien on your date and left to go and be with her brother! Ivan and Mylene told us all about it!" 

Marinette quickly stood up. Her fists were clenched as she felt her fury grow and grow the more she stared at Alya and everyone else who was looking at them. She was used to hearing the first two, but the last one made something boil in her.

"First, that's not true! I still have for you guys, but all you guys try to do is ruin the friendship between me, Juleka, and Chloe! I can't even have one normal conversation without you guys attacking Chloe and trying to get me to join in! Second, I wasn't helping you! You all were using me to make your clothes and treats for free! Chloe and Juleka both helped me realize that I should only deal with those who would pay me and not take advantage of me!"

Alya and the other students stayed silent as Marinette angrily told them of their faults and mistreatment of her. 

"And lastly, I didn't 'ditch' Adrien as those two told you all! I caught Adrien kissing Kagami on the mouth the moment I walked into the restaurant!" 

Juleka watched in shock and Chloe watched in smug pride as their best friend went off on their peers. 

Marinette, with a furious look in her eyes, turned to the couple who told Ayla the information. They both shrunk in their seats when they good look into her eyes. 

"Next time, it'd be best for you two to mind your business! You don't want me to tell Mylene about what's going on between you and Rose, do you, Ivan?" 

A few of the students gasped as the couple's eyes widened. It stayed silent for a while until another voice broke it. 

"What's your deal, dude?"

From his seat, Kim glared at Marinette who was still emitting anger. 

"Everyone's right, Marinette, you and Juleka have changed, and this whole is proving it." Max said, adjusting his glasses.

"Can't you see what you're doing!? You're ruining your friendships and reputation for _her!"_ joined in Alix.

Kim stood up. "Yeah! Seriously, Marinette? You're abandoning us for Chloe?"

Nino, who had his hand on Adrien's shoulder, turned his head. "Not cool, Marinette.."

Marinette couldn't find any words to speak as everyone she thought she could trust and rely on had turned on her. They all stared at her with anger, disappointment, and irritation, while Juleka looked at her sadly, while Chloe stared at Ayla with a glare that could kill. 

"You're making a mistake, Marinette, and until you realize it, don't talk to us at all."

A tear fell down her cheek. "How could you all? You're all doing this just because I decided to give Chloe a chance to be herself and be happy? Because I decided to make another friend? You're....You're all horrible!" 

Marinette began to sob as she ran out the door. 

"Marinette!" Juleka called as she quickly followed after her. She gave the glass an angry look before running out. 

Chloe followed suit but stopped in front of the class. "And I thought I was the evil one. You all lost a diamond because of your selfish needs and thoughts.....You're all pathetic and ridiculous. I hope one day you all realize that.."

With that, Chloe left out the classroom and caught up to Juleka, who was holding a weeping Marinette in her arms. The blond sat her bag down on the ground, sat on the same bench the dark-haired girls were sitting, and rested her head on Marinette's shoulder. 

Guilt took over Chloe as she listened to Marinette's cries. "I'm sorry, Mari..this is all my fault.."

Both Juleka and Marinette looked up. The Baker-Fashionista sniffed. "What? No! Chloe, please don't blame yourself!"

"Yeah, Chlo, none of this is your fault!" 

"But still...that whole was mainly about me! They all basically hate me! If I wasn't your friend, then none of this would've happened."

"You're right, Chloe, but not in the way you think. I would've still been used as a tool and worked to the bone until I would give out. I probably would've felt useless and unneeded unless I was cooking or making clothes." Marinette said as she began to calm down.

"I would've been completely alone and would've isolated myself until I would've faded away. Chloe, if we hadn't become friends, then we would've had it much worse!"

Chloe smiled at the words of her best friends and the recent yet many memories they made.

Marinette spoke up again, "Look, girls...I know we've only been friends for about a month, but no matter what, we'll have each other's back. Right?"

Juleka nodded her head, "Right!"

"We're all we've got...." Chloe said. 

The three girls hugged each other as they all sat alone out the school. At that moment, they truly knew that nothing would separate them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHH sorry for the very very very late chapter! I couldn't figure out for the life of me what to write! BTW I know I changed some things up according to Mari's first vision in chapter 8, but it wouldn't have aligned with the story.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Leave your thoughts, predictions, comment, etc in the comments!


End file.
